17 May 2024,   11:13
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Scandal: Filter for ruling party"s announcements

A confidential source has provided P.S with multiple files of the government"s secret correspondence. Our informant says that a few such letters are are being sent every day and they contain pre-prepared text, which should be said in front of camera by politicians, chosen by people.
After obtaining secret communications PS has started to check the facts. We asked Armaz Akhvlediani, one of Georgian Dream"s former leader to give us an interview. Armaz Akhvlediani has confirmed that such instructions are really sent to MPs , they are written at the Government Administration and ruling party members have to repeat them.

Armaz Akhvlediani, Former Executive Secretary of Georgian Dream : " When Bidzina Ivanishvili left the position of Prime Minister, the majority wanted to please the former PM and de facto ruler. This trend continues. In fact,they repeat the same messages as parrots. In 98-99 cases out of 100 this means a complete obedience and acceptance of these notifications without appeal. Such slavery is a reason of number of crises in the country."
Journalist: A few files fell into the hands of P.S, one of them is about the case of Rustavi2. This message contains a three-point instructions, on how the MPs should justify the fact that the government stormed the independent broadcasting company and protect Kibar Khalvashi"s interests.
The letter dates back to November 6, 2015, the given task is - Georgian Dream"s parliamentary team has to protect ruling, announced by Tamaz Urtmelidze last night- suspension of Nika Gvaramia"s Rustavi2"s Director General"s authority and appointment of temporary executive and by the hands of the court tried to control, what journalists should speak on the independent television.
In the first part of the letter the MPs are ordered to say that the previous government used to deprive people of property through terror, while under Georgian Dream"s governance the court passes sentences.
The final part of the instruction is especially interesting. It directly instructs MPs to protect Kibar Khalvashi and say that he will save Rustavi 2, is directed by humane goals and has a constructive approach.

Correspondence: (( " Temporary management expressed civilized approach while addressing to the plaintiff in order to offer them acceptable candidates on the positions of Director General and Financial Director, Which would conduct the activities till the final decision in case of agreement. In order not to interrupt function of the TV or damage interests of any party.
It is not required by law, this is a good will expressed by temporary management, which proves legitimacy of the process and high moral standards. This announcement confirms that the claimant was not aiming to suppress critical speech or suspend work of the TV company, but it is in the temporary management"s interests to save and develop the company. "
Journalist: Is this an original letter? in order to present high standard of evidences in this story, we have examined facts several times , showed the correspondence in regard to Rustavi 2 ,provided by the confidential source, to Tamar Kordzaia, the member of Republican Party and asked to check if she as a member of majority received such letter on November 6,2015.

Tamar Kordzaia, Former MP from " Georgian Dream", member of the Republican Party : " Yes, there really were letters about all issues. One of them was about Rustavi 2 as well."
Journalist: " and in regard to the temporary management as well?"
Tamar Kordzaia :" Yes, but in fact we never shared it and therefore we, Republicans have done our statement in this regard.”
We asked Tamar Kordzaia, if she knows who is writing messages, which should be voiced by MPS.

Tamar Kordzaia: "To tell the truth, I do not know who writes them, because for me personally, as for the member of the coalition at that time, it was irritating that someone was writing texts and we had to repeat it. It was not a result of negotiations, as it happens in our case, because when something happens, for example changes the situation regarding to the law on eavesdropping, or changes something in regard to the Rustavi2"s case, we sit down and try to form our position and speak on behalf of the party. Maybe it was caused due to abundance of members, but I believe that without consultations with MP it is embarrassing. It irritated me . The assignment to spread messages was unacceptable for me as well. There were many parties in the coalition and positions should be coordinated at least. Therefore maybe our, Republicans" announcements often pointed that in many cases we did not share these positions and of course, it used to aggravate relations within the coalition and we used to receive a lot of public complaints in this regard. "
Journalist: " were you criticized when you did not share position, written in the message box?"

Tamar Kordzaia :" Of course, we were, because perhaps you remember, when I was a member of the Georgian Dream, I had this problem , I was criticized all time."


Journalist: Ani Mirotadze, member of National Forum refused from voicing the message in regard to Rustavi 2 as well. Mrs. Mirotadze states that Urtmelidze’s ruling , which should be justified by them, was shocking, so she could not make this step. Therefore she had to pay with her mandate.
Ani Mirotadze, Former MP, member of National Forum : " This message box should be adequate, correspond to the reality . It should serve in order to express the clear position and not in order to say something based on lies. I could not say, would not say such thing no matter what happens, because When I don"t believe in what I am saying it will mislead the society. It is unacceptable for me.”
Journalist: Republicans and National Forum refused to implement assignments, received on November 6, 2015 in regard to Rustavi2. However there were people, who performed the task perfectly. Giorgi Volski, a former Chairman of Georgian Dream held a briefing on November 6, when the ruling elite received notifications on their e-mail and voiced the messages , delivered by Government Administration. We asked Gia Volski, why he did it?
Giorgi Volski, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, member of Georgian Dream : " what do you want to say? You have got an information. I do not ask you- how you did it, does not matter. But what is special in this information?"
Journalist: "The fact that the government is trying to give instructions to MPs on the dispute between two sides as they say, explaining how they should justify a shameful decision , in my opinion."
Giorgi Volski : " Nodar, Why dont"t you want to listen to my answer?"
Journalist : " I am listening, Mr. Gia."
Giorgi Volski : " The answer is ordinary- a group of people, the ruling party receives a position and transfers it to everyone. Is there anything special?

Journalist: " It is ok, but when the ruling party states that this is a private dispute between two entities, and they have no interests"…

Gia Volski : "It does not relate to this issue."
Journalist : " Let me finish the question..."
Gia Volski : " No, you will not . Which sentence contradicts the fact that this is a dispute between two private entities?"
Journalist : " It shows a tendency to justify Judge Urtmelidze."
Gia Volsi : " No, it does not."
Journalist " This announcement confirms that the claimant was not aiming to suppress critical speech or suspend work of the TV company, but it is in the temporary management"s interests to save and develop the company. " Why is government speaking on behalf of Kibar Khalvashi in this letter?"

Giorgi Volski : " What does Kibar Khalvashi have to do with it?"

Journalist : " So who is the disputing side? Who is plaintiff?"
Giorgi Volski : " I hooked you in a lie once again."
Journalist: " No, You do not answer me, who is a plaintiff? Tell me!
Gia Volski : " Listen to me..."
Journalist : " No, tell me, who is the plaintiff?"
Gia Volski :" It has nothing to do with that."

Journalist: " The instruction states that it was not in the interests of the plaintiff. Why does the government speak on behalf of the plaintiff here?
Giorgi Volski :" The government is not speaking on behalf of the plaintiff. The government responds on your questions. "
Journalist: " Government should speak based on its position."
Gia Volski : " Nodar, no matter how much we argue, it does not fit your goals."

Journalist : Giorgi Volski insists that MPs from Georgian Dream do not voice given instructions, but participate in elaborating a joint position. However, during the interview suddenly we showed him another conversation, in which the author prohibits MPs to speak .
Giorgi Volski : " It does not mean that we are sitting and waiting to receive anything. We are involved in elaborating the position,. This is an agreed position between parliament and government, which is one team."
Journalist :" Does not it mean that the government gives you orders?"
Volski : " No!
Reporter: " Well, I"ll show you another message, which you, MPs have received a little bit later. This is March 27,2016. " Gentlemen, do not comment on the tender announced in regard of holding a solemn event by the Moscow City Hall in Tbilisi till further notice." Is this a reference. Does the government point you, the MP elected by people to keep silent?"
Giorgi Volski : " This works in such way, you should know- we , MPs tell the government what is our position in regard to some issues and they respond, ask to keep silent till they decide anything. So we give orders to the government.
Journalist : " This does not indicate that you give orders to government."
Gia Volski : " It does not, because this part suits you. You are manipulators."

Journalist: " OK , then show me what was the previous part. Show me on your e-mail, Which letter you sent to the government on March 27, 2016.

Gia Volski " Is this the way?"
Journalist:" You are telling me that I showed you only a part"
Gia Volski : " Is this a way?"

Journalist : " Please show me, confirm! Show to society that you have really sent such letter and this was only an answer. It was not instruction."
Giorgi Volski : " It is not so. It does not work so, as you want to present. This is based on consultations. I can send letter, or have a phone conversation, or write. It is questionable where from do you have this information. I can e-mail them. And by the way, can you confirm that this topic is taken from the open conversation?"
Journalist:" Yes, here is a very long list. This is conversation of a lot of people - MPs.

Volski: Yes, so what?

Journalist: At the end of the interview we have asked Giorgi Volski for the fifth time , why the MPs were instructed by the government to protect Kibar Khalvashi"s interests if the government was not behind this process and it was a dispute between two entities for them?
Giorgi Volski: " This is not related to any decision in regard to change anything, editorial policy, I can repeat it today once more. I do not understand if there is something scandalous in it.

Journalist : " It is clear. I am just asking, why the government speaks on behalf of Kibar Klahvashi in regard to appointment of temporary management. This is my question.
Giorgi Volski : " I can not understand. This is not Kibar Khalvashi"s position, this is a logical position, human position, which you are unable to understand. I don"t mean personally you."

Journalist: After this interview Giorgi Volski went up to the session room at the parliament. However one fact attracted our attention - He was not participating in the sitting and was writing a letter in his personal computer. The camera of P.S caught Giorgi Volski"s desktop. It appeared that he was warning his colleague MPs that the program " P.S" has material on their secret correspondence and a story was being made on this issue.
The Letter: " Maybe you will need it. Rustavi 2 makes a story, where the main evidence is the info, sent to MPs in 2015 in form of instruction in regard to Judge Urtmelidze"s decision, which envisaged to change the editorial policy. The main question is how were we able to know Khalvashi"s statements in advance- Are you together or if this is a legal dispute between two entities, this instruction is irrelevant. I believe that their arguments are weak, but they use them wisely. I responded that the court"s decision does not envisage change of the editorial policy."
Faces of Georgian Dream ,who were not MPs on November 6, 2015 say that such instructions are no longer sent today.

Archil Talakvadze, leader of parliamentary majority, Member of Georgian Dream " I don"t think that I have problems regarding to what to say. I always prepare in advance, especially for session sittings. I work a lot in order to prepare my speech. Mostly I write it manually, on paper and you can have their shots."
Journalist: " In other words, you do not take into the consideration what they write you from the administration?"

Talakvadze :" You can check the footage and see that I prepare my speeches and write them on paper sometimes during the session."

Mamuka Mdinaredze, Chairman of Faction Georgian Dream :" I do not believe that someone used to write, or used to obey with such things. My uncertainty is more about submission. Today there are not such facts. How can I take liberties with my colleagues and point them what to say."
Journalist : The former Executive Secretary of Georgian Dream claims the opposite and is sure that MPs repeat what is written by others again. Armaz Akhvlediani tells P.S about another scandalous fact. He states that those MPs who used to refuse from repeating the government"s directives , were punished.

Armaz Akhvlediani:" There was a list of those people, who had green light in regard to communication with media. I was not in this list.
Journalist: " How big was a list of those MPs who had red light?"

Armaz Akhvlediani : " Those who had different opinion were reproached and if someone would dare to speak so boldly twice, then every road, every access to media was closed for them. There should be people, who would compare the leader, for example, with Ilia Chavchavadze.

Journalist: Do you mean Manana Kobakhidze ?

Armaz Akhvlediani:" Of course. Those, who would say that everything is fine in the country."

Journalist :" According to Armaz Akhvlediani , ruling elite of Georgian Dream has declared war to Rustavi2 from the day they came in power in 2012. They had a boycotting , when it was banned for Georgian Dream leaders to participate in programs of Rustavi 2.
Armaz Akhvlediani: It was a common approach to declare boycott to Rustavi2. It is obvious that they try to avoid acute questions, on the other hand they would visit TV stations , where questions were agreed in advance with pleasure. There was a constant attempt to keep boycott on one hand and on the other hand create such problems, which would force the company to stop."
Journalist: P.S has obtained several files of the ruling team"s secret correspondence. The mail list - list of those individuals, who receive assignments what should MPs and Ministers say is between this material. There are a number of interesting names in the list. Ucha Mamatsashvili, Bidzina Ivanishvili"s cousin is between them , as well as Irakli Shotadze, the Chief Prosecutor. And a head of the State Security Service. There is a question- If these are political messages for political leaders, why are heads of officially de-politicized agencies - State Security Agency and Prosecutors" Office between them . Moreover, what does Bidzina Ivanishvili"s cousin, who does not occupy high political position at any office in the list.

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