Administrative body

Parliament Suspends Accreditation of “TV Pirveli” Journalist Maka Chikhladze

The Parliament has suspended the accreditation of “TV Pirveli” journalist Maka Chikhladze. Nodar Meladze, a journalist and TV presenter for TV Pirveli, published a post about this on social media. Chikhladze’s accreditation was suspended for a period of 6 months. The reason was continuing an interview despite a Member of Parliament’s refusal.

“In the last three weeks, three journalists from ‘Shabatis Eteri’ [Saturday Broadcast] Maka Chikhladze, Maka Andronikashvili, and Natalia Kajaia have had their Parliament of Georgia accreditation suspended for 1, 6, and 12 months, based on completely unsubstantiated grounds! When they don’t want to answer questions, the simple solution is to block the journalists,” Nodar Meladze wrote on Facebook.

The tightening of rules for the media in the legislative body began in February 2023. Several security measures were introduced in the Parliament, during which non-accredited journalists are banned from entering the Parliament. Also, it became possible to suspend a journalist’s accreditation based on a Member of Parliament’s request. Furthermore, from January 1, 2026, a new rule for issuing one-time special accreditation came into force, which also created additional barriers for journalists. All these measures have been repeatedly used against journalists.

Parliament Suspends Accreditation of “TV Pirveli” Journalist Maka Andronikashvili

The Parliament has suspended the accreditation of “TV Pirveli” journalist Maka Andronikashvili for a period of one month. Nodar Meladze, a journalist and TV presenter for “TV Pirveli,” published a post about this on social media. The reason for the suspension of her accreditation was continuing an interview despite a Member of Parliament’s refusal.

Communications Commission Accuses “TV Pirveli” of Legal Violations Over Words and Phrases Used On-Air

The Communications Commission accuses “TV Pirveli” of violating the Law on Broadcasting due to the use of words and phrases such as “prisoners of conscience,” “false witness police officers,” “oligarch,” and “political prisoners.”

The case is being reviewed against the backdrop of tightened content regulations for broadcasters following amendments to the Law on Broadcasting passed by “Georgian Dream.” The changes include, among other things, restricting the expression of positions in news and public-political programs, new rules for the right of reply, and defining standards for covert recording.

The Communications Commission had previously announced that it would put into practice the norms established by the Law on Broadcasting and the “Broadcasters’ Code of Conduct” and would begin monitoring broadcasters. This announcement closely followed the United Kingdom’s sanctioning of the government-propaganda channels “Imedi” and POSTV.

According to the Commission, the monitoring targeted news programs broadcast between May 11 and May 13. The Commission deemed that the broadcaster covered current issues of public policy based on personal attitudes or opinions, and expressed a supportive or opposing position toward political or other interest groups. The Commission reviewed the case during its session on June 18, and the decision will be made public in one week.

Prosecutor’s Office Launches Investigation into Case Related to “Formula” Under False Accusation Article

On June 16, 2026, the Investigative Division of the Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into an alleged case of false accusation. The case is being investigated under Article 373, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the investigation was triggered by a statement from the lawyers representing film director Giorgi (Goga) Khaindrava, a supporter of “Georgian Dream,” regarding the alleged commission of a crime against Khaindrava by “Formula” TV. Reports indicate that the Prosecutor’s Office is alleging a false accusation made by “Formula’s” source.

The case is linked to reports broadcast on “Formula.” A segment aired on January 17, 2026, discussed the entry of Indian and Pakistani citizens into Georgia in 2016–2017, allegedly in coordination with the State Security Service. Khaindrava calls the information broadcast in the reports false and defamatory. Prior to this, on March 19, 2026, Khaindrava also filed a lawsuit against “Formula,” demanding 10,000 GEL in compensation for moral damages.

According to the Prosecutor’s Office, Giorgi Khaindrava has already been questioned as a witness by the investigative body. The agency stated that investigative and procedural actions will be carried out regarding the case, and the public will be provided with additional information about the results.

The Charter of Journalistic Ethics evaluates the launch of the investigation by the Prosecutor’s Office as an attempt to intimidate the media and punish investigative journalists. The Charter stated that the confidentiality of a source is a protected right of a journalist and a fundamental professional standard, and forcing a journalist to reveal a source is unacceptable.

Parliament Suspends Accreditation of “Formula” Journalist Nini Balanchivadze for 6 Months

The TV company “Formula” journalist Nini Balanchivadze has had her Parliament of Georgia accreditation suspended for 6 months.

According to information released by the television company, the Parliament accuses the journalist of violating Article 15, Paragraph 2, Sub-paragraph of the rules for the accreditation of media representatives. This implies, “in case a member of the Parliament of Georgia, an employee of the Apparatus, or a visitor to the Parliament refuses to record an interview, to terminate the interview.”

The explanatory letter sent to the television company refers to a report that aired on “Akhali Formula” on June 23, 2026.

Communications Commission Fines “TV Pirveli” 2,500 Lari

On June 25, the National Communications Commission fined “TV Pirveli.” The regulatory body accuses the television station of violating Article 54, Paragraph 5 of the Law on Broadcasting, which carries a fine of 2,500 GEL. The Commission is fining the channel for using terms such as “oligarch,” “Ivanishvili’s regime,” “non-existent crime,” “Georgian Dream’s investigation,” “false witness,” and others.

The first instance of a television station being fined under this rule occurred on May 21, when a 2,500 GEL sanction was imposed on “Formula” TV.

The Media Advocacy Coalition responded to the fines levied against the TV channels, stating: “The Communications Commission is fully cementing its role as an organ of censorship. The Commission continues to enforce repressive legislation.”

According to the Law on Broadcasting, following an initial 2,500 GEL fine, if the violator continues a continuous violation and/or commits a new, one-time violation within one year of being fined, the Commission is authorized to impose a fine of up to 1% of the broadcaster’s annual income (but no less than 5,000 GEL), or initiate public administrative proceedings to suspend its license or authorization.

Prosecutor’s Office Summons “Formula” Journalist Davit Kashishvili for Questioning

The Prosecutor’s Office has summoned “Formula” TV journalist and presenter Davit Kashiashvili for questioning. His summons is connected to a criminal case initiated against “Formula.”

On June 16, 2026, the Investigative Division of the Tbilisi Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation into an alleged case of false accusation. The case is being investigated under Article 373, Part 1 of the Criminal Code of Georgia. The investigation was triggered by a statement from the lawyers representing film director Giorgi (Goga) Khaindrava, a supporter of “Georgian Dream,” regarding the alleged commission of a crime against Khaindrava by “Formula” TV.

According to reports, the Prosecutor’s Office is alleging a false accusation made by “Formula’s” source.

Parliament Denies “Publika” Photojournalist One-Time Special Accreditation

The Parliament has denied one-time special accreditation to Mindia Gabadze, a photojournalist for the online media outlet “Publika.”

In a corresponding application sent to the Chairman of the Parliament on June 16, 2026, “Publika” requested the issuance of a one-time special accreditation for photojournalist Mindia Gabadze for the period of June 22–26, so that he could cover Irakli Kobakhidze presenting his report in Parliament.

A month earlier, on May 21, the Parliament also revoked the one-year accreditation of four “Publika” reporters, including Mindia Gabadze. At the time, the reason given was that the accredited journalists from “Publika” had not visited the legislative body for ten consecutive weeks.

For the same reason, the accreditation of four journalists from “Monitor” was also revoked.

Parliament Amends Election Procedures for Public Broadcaster’s Board of trustees

The Parliament of Georgia is reviewing amendments to its Rules of Procedure under an accelerated procedure. One of the key issues concerns the article regulating the election of members to the Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees. According to Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili, if a vacancy opens on the board, the entity

holding the quota for that vacant seat will directly select its preferred candidate and present them to the Parliament for consideration. According to the Georgian Law on Broadcasting, the Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees consists of 11 members. Parliament elects the trustees based on the following nominations: Two nominated by the Public Defender. Three nominated by the parliamentary majority. Three nominated by the parliamentary opposition. Three nominated by the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Adjara.

Under the current regulations, candidates for the Board of Trustees are selected through an open competition announced by the Speaker of Parliament. A 9-member commission is formed to shortlist candidates and present them to the authorized entities. From this shortlist, the entities then select nominees to present to the Parliament.

Papuashvili argues that this regulation is “absurd” because the legislative body cannot establish its own procedures without external interference. Therefore, he believes the election procedure must be brought closer to the core principle of parliamentary democracy: parliamentary sovereignty.

“The proposal is as follows: establish a procedure where, if there is a vacancy within an entity’s quota, that entity can select [a candidate] however it wishes. It can hold a competition or do whatever it wants—whether it’s the majority, the opposition, the Public Defender, or the Autonomous Republic of Adjara. But in its relationship with the Parliament, this entity must present a single candidate. It should say, ‘Here is a vacancy, I have the right to nominate a candidate, and I am nominating this specific person,’ rather than being handed three candidates pre-selected by others and being told to pick one of them,” stated Papuashvili.

According to Papuashvili, the nominated candidate will first be evaluated by the Sector Economy Committee before being put to a vote at a plenary session. Parliament plans to fast-track these amendments and adopt them during the current session week.

The Media Advocacy Coalition assesses these changes as creating additional risks for media freedom, transparency, and institutional independence. “This decision further reduces transparency and strengthens the risk of undue influence over the Public Broadcaster, which has been under the influence of ‘Georgian Dream’ for years, and whose management persecutes independent and professional journalists,” the coalition noted in its statement.

Georgia’s Parliament Tightens Media Accreditation Rules

By order eof the Speaker of the Georgian Parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, changes have been made to the parliament’s accreditation system. According to the amendments, individual journalists who repeatedly violate parliamentary accreditation rules will have their accreditation suspended for up to one year. Additionally, depending on the severity and frequency of the violations, an entire media outlet could have its accreditation revoked for up to a year.

Shalva Papuashvili justified these changes by citing a desire to adopt the practices of the European Parliament. The Speaker initially announced the potential tightening of media rules on May 14. His statement followed the European Parliament’s decision to suspend the accreditation of the pro-government broadcaster “Imedi,” a channel sanctioned by the UK for spreading Russian disinformation.

“Currently, violating accreditation rules in the Georgian Parliament results in a one-month suspension for the first offense, and a six-month suspension for a repeat offense. We have seen that a one-year suspension also exists in the European Parliament. Therefore, we will bring the Georgian Parliament’s accreditation system closer to that of the European Parliament,” stated Papuashvili.

Until now, sanctions for violating accreditation rules in the Georgian Parliament were only applied against individual journalists. Papuashvili noted that the European Parliament also imposes sanctions on entire media outlets; therefore, they will “adopt this experience as well,” making it possible to revoke a media organization’s accreditation for a full year.

The Media Advocacy Coalition views these amendments as a deliberate hindrance to journalistic work. “Under the guise of implementing European Parliament regulations, the Parliament continues to complicate the operations of independent media within the legislative body. Media accreditation mechanisms in the Parliament have already been used against independent media on numerous occasions. This creates a reasonable suspicion that the new regulations will further amplify the risk of selective and punitive approaches against the press,” the organization noted in its statement.

The tightening of rules for the media in the legislative body began in February 2023. Several security measures were introduced in Parliament, under which journalists who are not accredited by Parliament are prohibited from entering the building. It became possible to suspend a journalist’s accreditation simply based on an MP’s request. Furthermore, starting January 1, 2026, a new rule for issuing one-time special accreditations came into effect, creating even more barriers for the press. All of these measures have been repeatedly deployed against journalists.