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.
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 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.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster did not renew the employment contract of Ana Metreveli, assistant producer of the radio programs “Afternoon Peak” and “Evening Peak.” She was an employee who had criticized the channel’s editorial policy.
In a conversation with “Publika,” Ana Metreveli stated that management made the decision without consulting the main producer. She links this decision to her recent activism. Ana Metreveli is a member of the organization “Defenders of the Georgian Public Broadcaster,” a union of employees advocating for the protection of public broadcasting principles.
The official reason given for not renewing her contract was cost optimization. Ana publicly disclosed her salary, which was 490 GEL (net).
This is the second such incident recently at the Georgian Public Broadcaster. On February 4, 2025, the Georgian Public Broadcaster temporarily suspended journalist Vasil Ivanov-Chikovani, the anchor of the 6 PM news, from hosting the program. He had also criticized the channel’s editorial policy.
On May 5, 2025, employees of the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s program “Real Space” announced that the show had been officially canceled by the broadcaster’s decision.
Information about the closure was provided to the journalists in writing on April 30 by the management of the Public Broadcaster. The letter stated:
“Considering that on April 11, 2025, the employment relationship with the show’s host and face, Nino Zautashvili, was terminated, the continuation of the program is no longer planned.”
The statement was made by the “Real Space” team during a protest held in front of the Public Broadcaster’s building.
The Media Advocacy Coalition harshly criticized the Public Broadcaster’s decision:
“The Media Advocacy Coalition strongly condemns the leadership of the Public Broadcaster for shutting down the program ‘Real Space’, which has a 12-year history, for unlawfully dismissing its host Nino Zautashvili, intimidating journalists, and creating an inappropriate work environment. This decision constitutes a deliberate act of repression against journalists who openly criticized the broadcaster’s biased editorial policy, exposed political influence within the broadcaster, and revealed propaganda in favor of the ‘Georgian Dream’ party,” — the Coalition’s statement reads.The broadcaster’s management targeted Nino Zautashvili and her team due to their critical stance. According to them, on March 21, 2025, the Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees even threatened Zautashvili with the Prosecutor’s Office.
