Prepared by Messenger Staff
Kobakhidze Says Middle East Conflict Shows Importance of Peace
Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the ongoing conflict in the Middle East demonstrates the critical importance of peace for a country's development.
Speaking at a government meeting, Kobakhidze said the situation around Georgia requires constant attention to ensure stability. "The events unfolding in the Middle East remind us how great the importance of peace is. In this extremely difficult situation that has been created around our country, constant attention and caution are required to ensure that peace is firmly secured in Georgia," he said.
He added that peace remains essential for the country's progress. "Peace is the foundation of foundations for the development of the country. In the future as well, everything will be done to preserve peace and stability and to take maximum care of the development of our country," Kobakhidze said.
He also spoke about the evacuation of Georgian citizens following the outbreak of military operations in the region. According to him, several hundred Georgians were left in Gulf Arab countries after the fighting began.
"I would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the ambassadors, and the embassy staff. As a result of their daily efforts, our citizens safely returned to their homeland," he said.
Kobakhidze said the government organized four charter flights to bring citizens back to Georgia. "Four charter flights were organized by the state, and as a result, 558 of our citizens returned to Georgia. All flights were fully funded by the state," he said.
TV Pirveli Halts Satellite Broadcasting Over Unpaid Fees
TV Pirveli, one of Georgia's major opposition-leaning television channels, said late on March 11 that its satellite broadcasting had been halted due to unpaid fees.
"TV Pirveli's satellite broadcasting was halted today due to financial debt. Satellite and free-to-air broadcasting involve large sums, which the channel was no longer able to cover," the broadcaster said in a statement.
The channel's live programs remain available online and through pay TV platforms such as Magti and Silknet. However, the shutdown is expected to affect viewers in regions and remote areas where those services are less widely used.
TV Pirveli also announced a fundraising campaign aimed at restoring its satellite broadcast.
The development comes as media outlets not aligned with the ruling Georgian Dream party face mounting financial pressure and new restrictions, including a ban on foreign funding for TV and radio broadcasters.
Other stations have reported similar problems. In February, regional broadcaster Trialeti TV, based in Gori, said it had also halted satellite broadcasting, blaming an "artificially created crisis resulting from systematic pressure by the authorities."
In December, Transparency International-Georgia reported that 17 regional broadcasters stopped operating in 2025 because of financial difficulties. The organization warned that critical channels such as Formula TV and TV Pirveli were also facing financial strain and a risk of closure.
Another major opposition-leaning broadcaster, Mtavari TV, went off air in 2025 amid financial problems and internal disputes and now operates only on social media.
