The Communications Commission did not satisfy the complaint of the political union “Unity – National Movement” against TV companies – “Main Channel”, “Formula”, “TV Pirveli”, “IMEDI”, “Rustavi 2” (“Media Holding”), “Studio Maestro”, POSTV, Public Broadcaster, Ajara TV and Radio Public Broadcaster”, “Silk Media” and “Ilioni.”

According to the complaint, the political union applied to the mentioned TV companies to place free political advertisements, and the broadcasters “incorrectly distributed and decreased the free advertising time allotted under the law.” In particular, “the air time for the block, which was intended to be split by three, was instead divided by five, violating the right to “Unity – National Movement”.

The Communications Commission noted that per the Georgian legislation, free air time was equally given to those parties and election blocs that passed the relevant electoral threshold established by the Constitution in the last parliamentary elections.

“If free air time is given to an electoral block, this time is equally distributed among the political parties united in it. Additionally, Georgia’s Electoral Code distinguishes between a political party and an electoral subject.

The electoral subject is a party registered by the chairman of the relevant election commission, a voter initiative group, a candidate for membership in a representative body of public authorities, or a candidate for a job in public administration.

Because Georgia’s Electoral Code refers to political parties rather than election subjects, free airtime is equally distributed to those political parties that formed the block, including those that were not registered as election subjects. Hence, the Communications Commission determined that the broadcasters did not violate the Election Code norms,” reads the statement.