Press Scanner
Complied by Liana Bezhanishvili
Monday, November 2
Giorgi Chanturia: the new Caucasian channel will be based at GPB
Rezonansi reports that Director of Georgian Public Broadcaster Giorgi Chanturia has stated that a Russian language Caucasian TV company is being created on the basis of the First Channel and by the turn of the year the project plan for this will be ready. He denied reports that the Caucasian TV company would be created on the basis of Alania TV. He said that the TV channel will be similar to the political channel but for all the Caucasus countries and will highlight their common issues.
It is expected that the new channel will start broadcasting from January 2010. MPs have unofficially confirmed this but are not making open comment. Who will direct the channel is unknown but there are two possible candidates, Russian journalist and Director of the Extreme Journalism Centre Oleg Panphilov and the widow of Chechnyan President Jokhar Dudaev, Alla Dudaeva, who is in Georgia at the moment.
“There is an idea of setting up a regional Russian language channel but it is not planned to make it part of Alania. Alania is an independent TV channel. We have the idea of creating a third channel at GPB for the national minorities which will cover the whole region. The new channel will not be able to start broadcasting before the end of this year. As for the staff, we intend to employ Oleg Panphilov, who is a high-ranking journalist. I cannot speak about other details at the moment. But the idea can become reality easily,” Gia Chanturia says.
Dachi Tsaguria: our action will not violate the law on demonstrations
In an interview with Alia leader of the 7 November Movement Dachi Tsaguria has stated that the opposition parties will meet in the Radisson hotel and draw a conclusion about all Saakashvili’s activities.
“We were the initiators of the planned 7 November manifestation but all the political parties will take part in it. This protest will be very interesting and different from previous ones. We will parade on Rustaveli Avenue. At this moment I cannot say anything further, detailed information will be given on Imedi TV on 2 November,” stated Dachi Tsaguria.
“We will not violate the law on demonstrations in any respect, despite the fact it is inhuman, antidemocratic and only suitable for dictatorial regimes. We will try to make the action suitable and good for that day,” he concluded.
Gubaz Sanikidze: There are two ways: elections and civil disobedience. There is no place for street actions
“I have tried to make society aware of what happened during the spring actions and why the National Forum left the April 9 Committee on May 24. We offered the other opposition parties a way to continue the fight but they did not consider it. They seemed not to guess the importance of it,” leader of the National Forum Gubaz Sanikidze has stated in an interview with Versia.
“I do not suppose throwing eggs at Tbilisi City Hall was more effective than our plan. I never intended to throw eggs. The opposition became seriously confused after May 26 and is still so today. This is because most political parties exist only on paper in Georgia,” he added.
”Our consolidation was a surprise for many parties. When people saw our column of supporters both enemies and friends were shocked. They could not imagine how we had managed to gain so many supporters.
“The public should know what our goal is. Civil disobedience is a strategic part of our plan. I know how to fulfil it. We are getting ready. We have 10,000 activists in the capital, half of them are already registered. I have a serious legal basis for stating that the Forum is the most popular party in Tbilisi. I am not giving out figures because I do not want to cause certain people heart attacks,” Sanikidze said.
“Alasania’s way is ambiguous. There are two ways: elections and civil disobedience. There is no place for street actions. They [certain opposition parties] have stated that they intend to assemble on November 7, but why? Will we celebrate someone’s namesday, go to church to light candles or overthrow the Government? I do not have the answer to this question.
“The opposition is running in a circle but we do not intend to run in the same circle any longer. We intend to go to the regions and mobilise people, establish committees and hold large-scale protests all over the country. The other parties do not have the right to say that the Forum did not offer them anything and they did not understand what we wanted. If they did not understand they have mental problems. Do you know why they do not understand? Because what we want to do requires hard work. Some of my partners will reveal their weakness if they have to do any work. Therefore we will have to do everything ourselves,” Sanikidze stated.
Rezonansi reports that Director of Georgian Public Broadcaster Giorgi Chanturia has stated that a Russian language Caucasian TV company is being created on the basis of the First Channel and by the turn of the year the project plan for this will be ready. He denied reports that the Caucasian TV company would be created on the basis of Alania TV. He said that the TV channel will be similar to the political channel but for all the Caucasus countries and will highlight their common issues.
It is expected that the new channel will start broadcasting from January 2010. MPs have unofficially confirmed this but are not making open comment. Who will direct the channel is unknown but there are two possible candidates, Russian journalist and Director of the Extreme Journalism Centre Oleg Panphilov and the widow of Chechnyan President Jokhar Dudaev, Alla Dudaeva, who is in Georgia at the moment.
“There is an idea of setting up a regional Russian language channel but it is not planned to make it part of Alania. Alania is an independent TV channel. We have the idea of creating a third channel at GPB for the national minorities which will cover the whole region. The new channel will not be able to start broadcasting before the end of this year. As for the staff, we intend to employ Oleg Panphilov, who is a high-ranking journalist. I cannot speak about other details at the moment. But the idea can become reality easily,” Gia Chanturia says.
Dachi Tsaguria: our action will not violate the law on demonstrations
In an interview with Alia leader of the 7 November Movement Dachi Tsaguria has stated that the opposition parties will meet in the Radisson hotel and draw a conclusion about all Saakashvili’s activities.
“We were the initiators of the planned 7 November manifestation but all the political parties will take part in it. This protest will be very interesting and different from previous ones. We will parade on Rustaveli Avenue. At this moment I cannot say anything further, detailed information will be given on Imedi TV on 2 November,” stated Dachi Tsaguria.
“We will not violate the law on demonstrations in any respect, despite the fact it is inhuman, antidemocratic and only suitable for dictatorial regimes. We will try to make the action suitable and good for that day,” he concluded.
Gubaz Sanikidze: There are two ways: elections and civil disobedience. There is no place for street actions
“I have tried to make society aware of what happened during the spring actions and why the National Forum left the April 9 Committee on May 24. We offered the other opposition parties a way to continue the fight but they did not consider it. They seemed not to guess the importance of it,” leader of the National Forum Gubaz Sanikidze has stated in an interview with Versia.
“I do not suppose throwing eggs at Tbilisi City Hall was more effective than our plan. I never intended to throw eggs. The opposition became seriously confused after May 26 and is still so today. This is because most political parties exist only on paper in Georgia,” he added.
”Our consolidation was a surprise for many parties. When people saw our column of supporters both enemies and friends were shocked. They could not imagine how we had managed to gain so many supporters.
“The public should know what our goal is. Civil disobedience is a strategic part of our plan. I know how to fulfil it. We are getting ready. We have 10,000 activists in the capital, half of them are already registered. I have a serious legal basis for stating that the Forum is the most popular party in Tbilisi. I am not giving out figures because I do not want to cause certain people heart attacks,” Sanikidze said.
“Alasania’s way is ambiguous. There are two ways: elections and civil disobedience. There is no place for street actions. They [certain opposition parties] have stated that they intend to assemble on November 7, but why? Will we celebrate someone’s namesday, go to church to light candles or overthrow the Government? I do not have the answer to this question.
“The opposition is running in a circle but we do not intend to run in the same circle any longer. We intend to go to the regions and mobilise people, establish committees and hold large-scale protests all over the country. The other parties do not have the right to say that the Forum did not offer them anything and they did not understand what we wanted. If they did not understand they have mental problems. Do you know why they do not understand? Because what we want to do requires hard work. Some of my partners will reveal their weakness if they have to do any work. Therefore we will have to do everything ourselves,” Sanikidze stated.