On September 17, 2025, the Georgian Dream-supporting propaganda television station – Post TV published a Facebook post stating that TV Pirveli did not cover the fact that the government was transferring apartments to Internally Displaced families. The post also accused TV Pirveli of reporting
“only fake news.” It included a call to “turn off TV Pirveli.”
The publication of such material clearly shows how pro-government media uses the strategy of discrediting opposition media to deepen distrust towards and boycott critical media.
The independent TV company TV Pirveli has repeatedly become the target of attacks by Georgian Dream representatives, supporters, and state agencies.
On September 9, 2025, Georgian Dream parliamentary chair, Shalva Papuashvili, called the independent online publication Netgazeti.ge “a platform for inciting violence, a propaganda platform, and a violent media outlet.”
His statement followed Netgazeti’s reporting on a protest rally announced for September 9 by Kakha Kaladze, Georgian Dream’s Tbilisi mayoral candidate. In the same post, Papuashvili employed anti-Western rhetoric and attacked donor organizations.
“Netgazeti, funded by Brussels, not only provides propaganda for violence, but also organizes a violent attack on the election headquarters of Georgian Dream. We have seen biased, partisan, yellow, all kinds of media, but ‘violent media’ is a new phenomenon that, like Rwanda’s ‘Radio of a Thousand Hills,’ is a product of foreign donors,” wrote the parliamentary chairman.
This is not the first time Papuashvili has targeted independent online media as propagandist outlets. The archive of the Center for Media, Information and Social Studies records his verbal attacks on Publika, On.ge, and Tabula, as well as on Gela Mtivlishvili, editor of Mtis Ambebi. Papuashvili has also attempted to discredit the imprisoned manager of Netgazeti/Batumelebi, Mzia Amaglobeli, referring to them as an “inciter of violence.”
On June 20, 2025, Georgian Dream Parliamentary Chairman Shalva Papuashvili attempted to discredit the pre-detained manager of the online publications Netgazeti and Batumelebi, Mzia Amaglobeli, with a post on social media: “Solidarity to violence is incitement to further violence.”
Papuashvili’s statement followed a post shared by the European Union Delegation, in which the delegation expressed solidarity with the publication Batumelebi and Mzia Amaglobeli and called on Georgian Dream to “stop the systematic attack on democratic institutions and fundamental rights.” The EU delegation’s post is accompanied by a photo featuring the EU ambassador and the editor of Batumelebi
The television channel “Imedi,” controlled by the Georgian Dream party, criticized Al Jazeera’s report on Georgia during its weekly talk show Imedi Week and referred to independent and critical Georgian media and journalists as politically biased.
The report covered current events in Georgia and included respondents such as former Public Broadcaster journalist Nino Zautashvili and Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze. The author of the Imedi segment described them as “subjective journalists from politically biased online media funded by foreign organizations.”
“In the report, Al Jazeera’s journalist and their politically engaged respondents try to portray the term ‘deep state’ as if it was coined by Imedi,” says an Imedi journalist in one segment, while footage shows Netgazeti editor Nestan Tsetsladze and journalist Nino Zautashvili [timecode: 05:46–05:56].
The Imedi Week segment also mentioned Batumelebi/Netgazeti media manager Mzia Amaglobeli, who is in prison, casting doubt on her innocence.
“I advise Ms. Amaglobeli to file a complaint with the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg if she believes she is imprisoned for practicing journalism. Her case is being expedited due to her imprisonment. A lot of money is being spent on her lawyers, so she should kindly go ahead and file in Strasbourg, though she does not,” says Rukhadze on Al Jazeera [timecode: 05:04–05:46]. Imedi repeats this segment in its report without providing the context of Amaglobeli’s imprisonment, omitting details or showing the respondent who could discuss the legality of her detention.
On July 14, 2025, “Georgian Dream” Executive Secretary Mamuka Mdinaradze accused “TV Pirveli” news service head Nodar Meladze of “agency speculation.” “This question serves your agency speculation, in connection with blaming others for your crime” – Mamuka Mdinaradze told the journalist.
This was preceded by the events of July 8, when “Georgian Dream” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze linked the suicide attempt of the former head of the Adjara government to critical media “TV Pirveli” and “Formula.”
When asked who, according to his information, was accusing Tornike Rizhvadze of “corruption” and “patronage of deals” – as written in the circulated letter – Kobakhidze said: “I don’t know, there were specific television stations that were doing this. In general, the life of a person involved in politics is stressful. Including when they no longer hold a position. Countless lies are spread, there is countless insult, countless defamation. I can name specific television stations… for example, ‘TV Pirveli’, ‘Formula’” – Irakli Kobakhidze declared.
On July 10, 2025, disinformation was spread against media platform “ChaiKhana” on the broadcast of “Imedi,” a broadcaster supporting “Georgian Dream.” Specifically, the discussion was about “ChaiKhana” receiving 532,117 euros from the European Commission. Media platform “ChaiKhana” issued a statement that the story aired on “Imedi” does not correspond to the truth.
“The amount mentioned in the story, 532,117 euros, is the amount allocated for 6 beneficiary countries… Accordingly, 94% of the amount mentioned by TV company ‘Imedi,’ 532,117 euros, does not represent ChaiKhana’s budget; the mentioned amount is actually the budget of organizations operating in European Union countries. According to ChaiKhana’s information, moreover, within the framework of the project, ChaiKhana could not receive the 31,947 euros initially allocated to it, because the contract was terminated early due to the adoption of the ‘Russian law.’ Accordingly, the actual amount received by ChaiKhana is only 5,581 euros and not 31,947 euros, as TV company ‘Imedi’ claims” – the statement reads.
On July 10, 2025, “Georgian Dream” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused the founder of “Batumelebi/Netgazeti,” Mzia Amaghlobeli, of fulfilling a “specific order” and “humiliating and insulting” the police.
“This case [Mzia’s case] is very important for them [European Parliament members] and why – because they intended to humiliate law enforcement structures in Georgia, because they know very well that if law enforcement structures are humiliated, the entire state will be humiliated and of course, Mzia Amaghlobeli fulfilled a specific order in this regard. She attempted to humiliate law enforcement structures, to humiliate the police,” – Kobakhidze said.
Irakli Kobakhidze made a similar statement against the founder of “Batumelebi/Netgazeti,” Mzia Amaghlobeli, on April 16 as well, on “Rustavi 2’s” broadcast.
The founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti” Mzia Amaghlobeli has been in illegal imprisonment for 6 months. The journalist was initially arrested on January 11, 2025, for sticker posting and was soon released. Shortly after, on January 12, 2025, she was arrested under criminal procedure for spitting on Batumi police chief Irakli Dgebuadze.
On July 9, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Georgia, demanding Mzia Amaghlobeli’s release. Her release is also demanded by local and international organizations.
On July 8, 2025, Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze of the “Georgian Dream” government attempted to discredit independent broadcasters “TV Pirveli” and “Formula.” He made a comment to the media about the alleged suicide attempt of former Chairman of the Adjara Government, Tornike Rizhvadze, according to the official version of the investigation. According to his statement, he “generally” linked the incident to opposition television stations and accused critical television stations of “defamation” and “sowing hatred.”
When asked who, according to his information, was accusing Tornike Rizhvadze of “corruption” and “patronage of drug dealers” – as written in the circulated letter – Kobakhidze said: “I don’t know, there were specific television stations that were doing this. In general, the life of a person involved in politics is stressful. Including when they no longer hold a position. Countless lies are spread, there is countless insult, countless defamation. I can name specific television stations… for example, ‘TV Pirveli’, ‘Formula’” – Irakli Kobakhidze declared.
Later, however, he denied the statement and noted that “No, I didn’t say this. I didn’t say this, of course. I gave one example. The rest should be determined by the investigation” – Kobakhidze said.
On July 15, 2025, “Georgian Dream” Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze accused Nodar Meladze, head of the news service of independent broadcaster “TV Pirveli,” of being “financed by specific individuals.” According to the disinformation statement: “There are specific people who some think are ‘Nationals’ and in reality they are financed by specific persons who were suspected of corruption and who had to leave the team… Nodar Meladze, who receives directives from this specific group suspected of corruption regarding the dissemination of specific information.”
On July 14, “Georgian Dream” Executive Secretary Mamuka Mdinaradze also made a statement against Nodar Meladze and accused him of “agency speculation.”
On July 10, 2025, the Prime Minister of “Georgian Dream,” Irakli Kobakhidze, accused Mazia Amaghlobeli, the founder of “Batumelebi/Netgazeti,” of carrying out a “specific assignment” and of “demeaning and insulting” the police.
“This case [Mazia’s case] is very important to them [Members of the European Parliament], and why – because they intended to undermine the law enforcement structures in Georgia, because they know very well that if the law enforcement structures are undermined, the entire state will be undermined, and of course, Mazia Amaghlobeli carried out a specific assignment in this regard. She attempted to undermine the law enforcement structures, to undermine the police,” Kobakhidze said.
Irakli Kobakhidze made a similar statement against Mazia Amaghlobeli, the founder of “Batumelebi/Netgazeti,” on April 16, during a broadcast on “Rustavi 2.”
Mazia Amaghlobeli, the founder of “Batumelebi” and “Netgazeti,” has been in unlawful detention for six months. The journalist was initially arrested on January 11, 2025, for putting up a sticker and was shortly released. Soon after, on January 12, 2025, she was arrested under criminal law for slapping the head of Batumi police, Irakli Dgebuadze.
On July 9, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on Georgia, calling for Mazia Amaghlobeli’s release. Local and international organizations have also demanded her release.
