“My wish is for the Mtavari Arkhi to operate without disruption,” Zaza Okuashvili, the founder of the Mtavari Arkhi, issued a statement, disseminated by Interpressnews, addressing recent allegations.

Responding to Giorgi Gabunia’s [Director General of Mtavari Arkhi] claims, Okuashvili called them ‘slander’ and part of a scheme by Nika Gvaramia, the former Director General of Mtavari Arkhi, to distort the situation.

“A few days ago, I spoke with a group of journalists about the situation regarding the Mtavari Arkhi. Despite the destructive actions of Nika Gvaramia and Giorgi Gabunia, which have driven the channel to the brink of bankruptcy, I want to clarify that I have no intention of shutting down the TV company. In fact, I am committed to providing the necessary support to meet the channel’s needs.

The main issue with the Mtavari Arkhi lies in the management decisions made by Gvaramia and Gabunia. Their leadership has led to significant financial troubles for the company. Their actions exemplify how one can evade accountability while exploiting the company, jeopardizing the livelihoods of its employees and taking advantage of the current situation in the country. Furthermore, they have transformed the television station into a vehicle for laundering millions of dollars on an international scale,”
he stated.

Okuashvili also refuted claims linking him to Bidzina Ivanishvili, describing them as illogical. “On the contrary, I am involved in international disputes against Ivanishvili,” he added.

He questioned the sources of funding for Gvaramia’s activities and expressed regret over the timing of the allegations, given Georgia’s current challenges.

Reaffirming his commitment, Okuashvili said: “I have not considered closing the channel. On the contrary, I have expressed my readiness to support its needs despite these challenges.”

Giorgi Gabunia, Director General of Mtavari Arkhi, announced that Zaza Okuashvili decided “to take action seemingly aligned with Bidzina Ivanishvili’s interests” by attempting to shut down the private TV company.