Shalva Ramishvili, the director and host of the pro-government outlet POSTV—which has been sanctioned by Britain for spreading Russian propaganda—is attempting to disparage TV Pirveli journalist Vika Bukia based on her geographical background.
Ramishvili refers to Vika Bukia as a “girl from the provinces” and an “aggressive provincial.” In the same context, he mentions her sister, Sopho Bukia—also a journalist and an editor at JAMnews—labeling her a provincial as well.
Vika Bukia is originally from the Samegrelo region. Ramishvili views this as a point of inferiority and uses it specifically to insult the journalist. Furthermore, he openly admits that he is doing this intentionally:
“You represent the class of jooooournalists (pronouncing the word with a specific derisive connotation) that I have fought since birth. I am fighting you not just as the provincial Vika Bukia, but as representatives of the joooournalist class—the collective Inga Grigolia and Nodar Meladze—so that your authority, if you even have any, is completely destroyed,” the propagandist Ramishvili stated openly.
This is not the first time that POSTV and its affiliates have attempted to insult and discredit independent and critical journalists. On March 4, Shalva Ramishvili also attempted to humiliate investigative journalist Keti Tutberidze by using sexist epithets against her.
Liza Gegechkori, a host for the pro-government outlet POSTV—which has been sanctioned by Britain for spreading Russian propaganda—is attempting to discredit TV Pirveli investigative journalist Maka Andronikashvili. The individual, who is closely affiliated with “Georgian Dream,” is spreading disinformation claiming that Maka Andronikashvili changed her last name:
“I just found out—you might think it’s a joke, but it isn’t—her real name was Nabichvrishvili. The woman changed her own last name because she was a Nabichvrishvili by birth, and then, without a second thought, she ‘became’ an Andronikashvili,” the propagandist wrote.
This is not the first time that POSTV and its affiliates have attempted to insult and discredit independent and critical journalists. This attitude has become a trend on the channel and is systematic in nature. The channel’s director, Shalva Ramishvili, is particularly active in these efforts.
Director Goga Khaindrava, a supporter of “Georgian Dream,” is calling on the Prosecutor’s Office of Georgia, the State Security Service (SSG), and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to investigate a report about him that aired on Formula TV.
The report in question was broadcast on Formula TV on January 17, 2026. It claimed that between 2016 and 2017, in coordination with the State Security Service and in exchange for payment, Goga Khaindrava facilitated the entry of Indian and Pakistani citizens into Georgia.
“The report suggested that, in agreement with the SSG, I intentionally committed a very serious crime. To me, this crime is equivalent to treason against the state. It is treason when you illegally bring potential criminals into the country’s territory in exchange for bribes. Therefore, in addition to filing a lawsuit in court, I am appealing to the Prosecutor’s Office and asking them to conduct an investigation into the matter to determine who is at fault: myself, the SSG, the Border Police, or ‘Falsehood Formula’ LLC,” Khaindrava stated during a press conference.
Following the airing of this report in January of this year, Goga Khaindrava announced that he would take legal action against Formula TV. It is worth noting that after the segment was broadcast, the program’s host, Davit Kashiashvili, received a threatening message from an unidentified individual. The author of the threat wrote to the journalist: “Tbilisi is a small city… take care of yourself, buddy.” Davit Kashiashvili announced this himself during a live broadcast, thereby notifying the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia about the incident.
On March 6, 2026, the Mayor of Tbilisi, Kakha Kaladze, addressed TV Pirveli journalist Lika Jankharashvili in an insulting manner. “Get prepared; don’t come here so unprepared. I’m giving you a ‘two’ [a failing grade],” Kaladze replied to the journalist, who was attempting to get an answer to a question regarding what “Georgian Dream” has done to improve relations with the United States.
This is not the first instance where the Mayor of Tbilisi has attacked and insulted journalists instead of answering critical questions. For example, on January 12, 2026, Kakha Kaladze verbally insulted another TV Pirveli journalist regarding a question about a ship identified as part of the so-called “shadow fleet” being in Kulevi port and the resulting threat of secondary sanctions against the country. On October 4, 2025, during the local self-government election day, he called journalists “rude.” Even earlier, on September 21, he labeled journalists “aggressors,” also in response to a critical question.
On March 19, filmmaker and “Georgian Dream” supporter Goga Khaindrava filed a lawsuit against Formula TV, seeking 10,000 GEL in compensation for moral damages. The lawsuit also demands a retraction of information aired on “Shabatis Formula” (Saturday Formula), which he claims contained “essentially false facts that defame the plaintiff’s name, honor, and dignity.”
According to MediaChecker, the lawsuit concerns two segments aired on Formula TV on December 20, 2025, and January 17, 2026. The December 20 report, titled “From Apology to Forgiveness: The Dream’s Chief Ideologist’s Film – Why is Goga Khaindrava Being Paid a Million,” focuses on fraudulent call centers. According to Formula TV, Khaindrava is behind the fraudulent scheme. The January 17 segment, “The Director Turned Dream Propagandist – Did Goga Khaindrava Bring Foreign Citizens into Georgia in Exchange for Money,” concerns the alleged entry of Indian and Pakistani citizens into Georgia facilitated by Khaindrava for payment.
Goga Khaindrava has labeled both reports as false and defamatory.
Notably, after the segments about Khaindrava were aired, the program’s host, Davit Kashiashvili, received a threatening message from an unidentified individual.
“Georgian Dream” propagandist Shalva Ramishvili, the director of the pro-government and British-sanctioned channel POSTV, addressed Formula TV journalist Keti Tutberidze with a sexist epithet in an attempt to humiliate her.
The incident occurred when the journalist approached him to ask questions regarding the British sanctions. In response to Tutberidze’s remark that she was not satisfied with his answer to a specific question, the propagandist mockingly addressed her and repeatedly called her “unsatisfied” (daukmaqobilebeli), despite the journalist ethically pointing out the lewd connotations of the word.
On February 24, 2026, four years after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Great Britain imposed sanctions on the pro-government television stations Imedi and POSTV for spreading disinformation against Ukraine. The sanctions were announced as part of a broad package released by the United Kingdom’s Foreign Office.
Pro-government television stations—Imedi, Rustavi 2, and POSTV—are labeling independent online publications Netgazeti, Publika, and On.ge as anti-Georgian media, discrediting and stigmatizing them because these outlets refer to high-ranking officials as the “Georgian Dream” Prime Minister and Minister.
All three channels published nearly identical text on social media, accompanied by a short screenshot of a text prepared by these online media outlets regarding the visit of Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan to Georgia.
“So-called online media outlets funded by foreign countries refer to Nikol Pashinyan as Prime Minister, while referring to Irakli Kobakhidze and Maka Bochorishvili as the ‘Georgian Dream’ Prime Minister and Minister,” states Rustavi 2, referring to the online outlets as “so-called” media. POSTV also places the term online media in quotation marks: “The anti-Georgian policy of ‘online media’ funded from abroad: publications refer to Nikol Pashinyan as the Prime Minister of Armenia, while referring to the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister of Georgia as the ‘Georgian Dream’ Prime Minister and Minister.” Imedi goes even further, calling these publications tools of hybrid warfare: “Another anti-Georgian act by the anti-Georgian online ‘media’ in Georgia—all three tools of hybrid warfare refer to Nikol Pashinyan as the Armenian Prime Minister, while referring to Irakli Kobakhidze and Maka Bochorishvili as the ‘Georgian Dream’ Prime Minister and Minister.”
Notably, all three channels published this visual material almost simultaneously on the same day that “Georgian Dream” passed the law in its third and final reading, which made the “systemic non-recognition of Georgian Dream” a criminal offense.
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.
The Speaker of Parliament from “Georgian Dream,” Shalva Papuashvili, verbally insulted the television company “Formula” and journalist Salome Labadze.
The question posed by the “Formula” journalist concerned Georgia’s national hero, Maro Makashvili.
In response to the question, “Who killed Maro Makashvili?”, Shalva Papuashvili called the “Formula” journalist “shameful” and “funded by Kezerashvili.”
“You and your television channel spread shameful propaganda that seeks political speculation. I will not answer any such questions,” Papuashvili said (5:29 min).
Among politicians from “Georgian Dream” who verbally insult journalists from critical media, Shalva Papuashvili is the most active, and CMIS has documented numerous examples of this behavior.
On February 24, the pro-government outlet “Postv” produced a report against the investigative journalists’ association “iFact.”
The “Postv” report focused on an episode from a video series produced by “iFact” about the property of Minister of Internal Affairs Gela Geladze.
The “iFact” video included a list of Gela Geladze’s declared assets.
“Gela Geladze’s narrated property declaration provided a good basis for opposition media hysteria and another attempt to discredit the government,” the “Postv” report stated.
The report’s author also claimed that the “iFact” video “led to misperceptions, manipulations, and misleading the public,” and accused “iFact” itself of “disinformation” and “speculation.”
“Postv” frequently publishes materials critical of independent media, which is continuously documented by CMIS.
