Rustavi 2 employees have responded to the offer of the Karamanishvili brothers. Rustavi 2 Director General Nika Gvaramia responded to today`s statement of the broadcasting company"s shareholders" and explained the reasons for the refusal.

"We have discussed the Karamanishvili brothers` offer regarding the transfer to Rustavi2 employees of 40 percent of company`s shares. We want to thank them for the offer, but reject this proposal, "- said Gvaramia.

"Let them give over to the employees the ownership of the company "TV Sakartvelo," - said Gvaramia.

"Our refusal is based on the following factors - first, transferring 40 percent of shares of Rustavi2 company which is under the seizure is practically impossible.as according to Rustavi 2`s bylaws, the shares transfer requires every shareholder`s consent including the consent of Nino Nizharadze who owns 9 percent of shares. Such consent does not exist, and therefore, the offer in terms of law is a sham. It seems that this fact , unfortunately, was left out of the view by the Karamanishvili brothers.

"Second, in addition, more importantly, the ownership of the company`s 40 percent of shares practically does not change the situation, as the decisive vote still has the company which owns the controlling package of 51 percent of shares and the owners of this company are the Karamanishivli brothers. Accordingly, the proposal from the legal pont of view is a somewhat fictitious, because it can not ensure the involvement of the company`s staff in the company`s management.

"Third, the broadcasting company Rustavi 2 staff in response propose the initiative to transfer to the staff the shares of the company "TV Sakartvelo", which is both legally and in terms of content, the only way to change the situation in the company in reality and not fictitiously. Ltd. TV Sakartvelo is not under arrest, its transfer does not need the consent of the third party and it is the holder of Rustavi2 control package. By transferring to the Rustavi2 staff for the first time in the history not only of our company, but Georgian media as a whole the owners of the broadcaster will become its employees and the they will choose and authorize persons, who will be accountable to the company`s staff. "

"It is important also to note that such a step would also end unhealthy and in many cases, completely unfounded speculation regarding party affiliation of Rustavi 2 and the assertion that the editorial policy is formed with the involvement of other people will have no basis from the formal and legal point of view and only we in this case will be legally and formally, fully independent and will be in charge of our editorial policy. Now and in the future, we mean the independence from this government and also the independence from any other political force which comes to power.

"We understand the legitimate interest to the threat that no third parties enter the company as investors under this cover. We are ready, in case the company receives the shares to envisage that the shares to the third party are sold only under conditions of an unprecedented consensus."

"Once again we thanks the Karamanishvili brothers for the offer, which unfortunately we have to refute , and we call on them to consider our counter offer. Transfer the channel to those who actually and completely independently, without any outside assistance, due to their desperate struggle brought this company to this day and retained its independence and secured for the whole of Georgia and its people, free speech, and it was in those circumstances, when the entire state machine was involved in the fight against the broadcaster. We believe that by agreeing to this offer, Karamanishivli brothers will use the historic opportunit and write their names in gold letters in the history of the Georgian media and freedom of expression, "- state the channel`s journalists.

Gvaramia also said that it was the position of a vast majority of Rustavi2 employees who had buildt the comany through all those years.Gvaramia stated that the company was waiting for the response to the initiative.