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.