On February 26, 2026, at a Public Broadcaster board meeting, Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze was verbally insulted by board member Gia Iakobashvili.
“Are you not putting the work and functioning of the Public Broadcaster at risk with this statement?” Lika Basilaia-Shavgulidze asked the board chairman of the Public Broadcaster, Vasil Maghlaperidze.
Lika Basilaya-Shavugilidze’s question concerned Vasil Maghlaperidze’s initiative; he wanted the board to express support for the television channels sanctioned by the United Kingdom.
On February 24, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on the pro-government television companies “Imedi” and “Postv” for spreading disinformation about Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country.
The chairman of the Public Broadcaster Supervisory Board, Vasil Maghlaperidze, and board member Bondo Mdinarishvili publicly expressed support for the sanctioned channels.
On February 24, the Public Broadcaster reduced the February salary of Ketevan Sinitsa, Human Resources Projects Manager of the Human Resources Management Department, by 30 percent “for disseminating incorrect information in the public space that damages the employer’s reputation.” In the event of a repeat violation, she was threatened with dismissal.
According to an order issued by Tinatin Berdzenishvili, a disciplinary sanction was imposed on Ketevan Sinitsa for sharing a Facebook post by a dismissed employee of the Public Broadcaster, Kakha Melikidze, citing violations of the “Rules for the Use of Social Networks” and provisions of the Broadcasters’ Code of Conduct.
In 2025, employees critical of the channel were dismissed from the First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, including Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, journalist and anchor of the news program “Moambe,” and Nino Zautashvili, author and host of the socio-political program “Realuri Sivrtse.”
The channel’s management reportedly adopted a negative stance toward director Kakha Melikidze after he publicly accused the broadcaster’s leadership of pressuring him to frequently show officials of “Georgian Dream,” including Irakli Kobakhidze, during broadcasts of national team football matches.
The Director General of the Public Broadcaster, Tinatin Berdzenishvili, issued a reprimand to Givi Chimakadze, a studio operator in the Technical and Technology Operations Group, for disseminating a statement on social media.
Tinatin Berdzenishvili also warned Givi Chimakadze about possible dismissal from his job “in the event of a similar and/or other type of violation.”
Information about the order was disseminated via social media by “Guardians of the Public Broadcaster.” The document, signed by Tinatin Berdzenishvili, is dated February 11.
In 2025, employees critical of the channel were dismissed from the First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcaster, including Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, a journalist and anchor of the news program “Moambe,” Nino Zautashvili, author and host of the socio-political program “Realuri Sivrtse,” and director Kakha Melikidze. The channel’s management reportedly adopted a negative stance toward Melikidze after he publicly exposed the broadcaster’s leadership. According to Melikidze, the management pressured him to frequently show officials of “Georgian Dream,” including Irakli Kobakhidze, during broadcasts of national team football matches.
On December 26, 2025, the Public Broadcaster dismissed director Kakha Melikidze from his position. Kakha Melikidze had been working at the First Channel of the Public Broadcaster since 1998.
According to information from the “Guardians of the Public Broadcaster,” the harassment of Kakha Melikidze by the broadcaster’s management began after the director publicly exposed the leadership, stating that they were pressuring him to frequently show officials from “Georgian Dream,” including Irakli Kobakhidze, during broadcasts of the national football team’s matches.
In 2025, the Public Broadcaster also dismissed the host of “Real Space,” journalist Nino Zautashvili, along with other staff members of the program, due to their critical stance. In addition, the anchor of the news program “Moambe,” Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, was dismissed. On July 30, the segment “People from History” and the program “This Weekend” were also shut down.
The First Channel of the Georgian Public Broadcaster did not renew the employment contract of Anna Metreveli, the assistant producer of the radio programs “Midday Peak” and “Evening Peak,” an employee who had criticized the channel’s editorial policy.
On October 25, Kakha Melikidze, the director of the on-air equipment and technology group at the Georgian Public Broadcaster, wrote on social media that he had received another warning from the channel and would be fined 30% of his November salary.
Melikidze noted that the reason for this was an interview he gave to the international publication Internazionale. In the interview, he spoke about the suspension of Georgia’s EU accession talks by Georgian Dream’s Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze and the developments surrounding Channel One.
“I received a second warning, and it will probably be over soon, and I will be fired from the Public Broadcaster,” Melikidze wrote on Facebook.
The Public Broadcaster first imposed disciplinary sanctions on Kakha Melikidze in April, along with other journalists critical of the channel. At that time, the channel’s management considered the employees’ actions to be “calling into question the broadcaster’s editorial independence and impartiality through statements disseminated in public space and, as a result, causing reputational damage to the employer.”
According to GPB Guardians, the Public Broadcaster’s First Channel has fired another employee of “Real Space,” Meri Shikhashvili. GPB Guardians reports that Shikhashvili was dismissed immediately upon returning from maternity leave.
The Public Broadcaster, amid pro-European demonstrations, has been dismissing employees who are critical of management, with some also facing various disciplinary sanctions.
In 2025, the Public Broadcaster imposed disciplinary measures or dismissed several employees for expressing critical positions. Among them are Nino Zautashvili, host and creator of the program “Real Space,” and Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, host of the program “Moambe.”
On August 26, 2025, the Public Broadcaster accused editor-operator, Giga Kitia, of causing “reputational damage” to the channel due to his participation in a protest rally on Rustaveli Avenue and deducted 30 percent from his September salary.
The Public Broadcaster warned Giga Kitia that if he is found to have committed a similar or other type of violation within 12 months, he will be dismissed from his job.
The Public Broadcaster also issued a reprimand to the editor-operator in April.
The Public Broadcaster dismissed critical journalists from the channel in April 2025.
On July 30, 2025, it was announced that starting from the autumn season, the Public Broadcaster’s Channel One will no longer air the segment “People from History.” The host of the segment, Dimitri Silakadze, declined an offer to move to another program and decided to leave the channel. Silakadze is a participant and supporter of the ongoing pro-European protests in the country and is among those who have criticized the editorial policy of the Public Broadcaster.
“This was my last program on the Public Broadcaster… I wish our audience success. I also wish our country unity, strength, the establishment of a just state, and all the good that one can wish for their own country,” said the host to viewers in the season finale on July 29.
His segment “People from History” was initially broadcast on the program “This Weekend” and, since 2024, had moved to the Public Broadcaster’s radio show “Midday Peak Hour.”
In the past week, this is the third instance in which management has halted an ongoing project or segment: as of August 1, the program “This Weekend” will no longer air, and journalist Ia Antadze’s authorial project a series of profiles called “Interesting People”—will also end. All other members of “This Weekend” (seven journalists) and Ia Antadze have left the channel. The team also declined the offer to be redistributed across various TV and radio programs.
Earlier, in May, the Public Broadcaster closed its most well-known social program, “Real Space,” and terminated the employment contract of its host, Nino Zautashvili.
The dismissal or disciplining of employees critical of the channel’s editorial policy coincided with the pro-European protests. To date, more than 20 employees have been either dismissed or subjected to disciplinary sanctions at the Public Broadcaster through disciplinary proceedings.
On July 25, 2025, it was announced that the Public Broadcaster’s Channel One would close the program “This Weekend.” The channel’s management offered the program’s team producers, journalists, and hosts positions in other programs. Otherwise, they were informed that their cooperation with the channel would end.
The employees affected are: executive producers Tamar Chincharauli and Mariam Firtshalava, producer Nia Barabadze, journalist Ana Abakelia, and hosts Lika Evgenidze and Giorgi Sharvashidze.
In a letter sent by the broadcaster’s director, Tina Berdzenishvili, to the program team, it was stated that the program’s contract would expire on August 1 and would not be renewed, as the broadcaster no longer required the program: “From the new television season, the refreshed midday schedule will be dedicated to a new project covering every day of the week. Accordingly, there is no longer a need for a separate program solely for the weekend.”
All six employees declined to move to other programs. As a result, they were dismissed from their positions on August 1. All six journalists are part of the “Guardians of the Public Broadcaster” and have been criticizing the broadcaster’s biased editorial policy for eight months.
On the same day, it was also announced that Channel One had closed journalist Ia Antadze’s project “Interesting People.” “Of course, this decision was not unexpected, as I see it as a natural consequence of my choices and responsibilities,” Antadze wrote on social media.
The dismissal or disciplining of employees critical of the channel’s editorial policy began at the Public Broadcaster alongside the pro-European protests. To date, through disciplinary proceedings, 13 employees have been either dismissed or subjected to disciplinary sanctions.
On February 4, 2025, The Georgian Public Broadcaster temporarily suspended journalist Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani from hosting the 6:00 PM news program Moambe.
The journalist himself shared the news on Facebook. The reason for the suspension was the refusal of Moambe producers to continue working with Ivanov-Chikovani.
“I no longer host the 6:00 PM Moambe. The official explanation – as you may know, at today’s Board of Trustees meeting, the producers of Moambe expressed their position regarding your public statements (including those made on air) and declared their refusal to continue working with you as a host,” the journalist wrote.
The Media Advocacy Coalition responded to the incident, expressing solidarity with Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani and all his colleagues who are fighting for editorial independence and responsible journalism at the Public Broadcaster.
“The Media Advocacy Coalition condemns the Public Broadcaster’s leadership for the temporary suspension of Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani from anchoring the news. This decision aims to silence an objective, impartial journalist who actively supports Georgia’s European path, along with his colleagues,” the coalition stated.
Update: On February 26, 2025, the Moambe news program on the Public Broadcaster’s First Channel was hosted by a new anchor, Lasha Berdzenishvili, instead of Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani.
