Formula TV director summoned to Prosecutor’s Office same day as channel aired

By Natalia Kochiashvili

Friday, October 4

Zuka Gumbaridze is also the founder of Intermedia Plus.

Former Minister of Defense of Georgia (2006-2008) Davit Kezerashvili is the owner of 51% of the Formula Creative Television control package. Five separate cases were brought against him following the change of government in Georgia in late 2012, two of which are still under investigation.

Zurab Gumbaridze, General Director of Formula TV, was summoned to the Prosecutor's Office on October 1– channel aired the same day.

Gumbaridze is the founder of Inter Media Company, which the Prosecutor General's Office initiated on 9 August. The case relates to the legality of spending large amounts of money received by Rustavi 2-based contractor, advertising company “Inter media Plus” in 2017. The Prosecutor's Office says that the declared loss suffered by Rustavi 2 Broadcasting Company during the reporting period of 2015 amounted to GEL 7 377 230, while the declared profit of InterMedia Plus during the same period was GEL 8 690 664.

Namely, Gumbaridze's name and surname were mentioned in connection with this case.

“I rule out filing charges” – director of Formula TV, said during his visit to the chief prosecutor's office. He said the case is out of the question and it is unclear why such a large resource is being spent. According to him, the start of broadcasting of the TV Company and his summoning coincided with each other suspiciously.

“The fact that I was summoned for questioning is related to the case of Intermedia, which you know has been investigated by the Prosecutor's Office for several months. Within the frames of investigation, charges were filed against Former Director-general of Rustavi 2 TV Nika Gvaramia, the former financial director of the channel Kakha Damenia and director of Intermedia Zurab Iashvili. My questioning is also related to this case. As for the accusation itself, it is absurd. With or without me, Formula will continue operating and will be a very interesting and successful broadcaster,” he said.

“The fact that investigator’s call came only yesterday, when Formula started broadcasting, raises doubts. The most important thing, in this case, is that Formula will start broadcasting. On October 5, we will start a news program and we will try to put one block into addressing the challenges associated with media market, free speech and media pluralism,” announced Gumbaridze before the questioning.

Interview of Director General of Formula TV at the Prosecutor General's Office lasted about 9 hours.

“I answered all the questions and accordingly the questions should not be left to the investigation. That is why I think it is related to Formula TV,” Gumbaridze said after leaving the prosecutor's office.

According to his lawyer, Beka Basilaia, in this case, all companies are innocent in the settling of the budget.

“Even for the investigation it is clear that there are no signs of crime in this case, but the question arises - what were we doing at the prosecutor's office for 9 hours? Formula aired on the same day that Prosecutor's Office made a call, which resulted in a multi-hour inquiry,” said Basilaia.