The Board of Trustees shall be composed of 11 members or trustees
The Parliament of Georgia shall elect two trustees under the procedure established by the Regulation of the Parliament of Georgia upon the recommendation of the Public Defender, three trustees – upon the recommendation of a faction/factions within the parliamentary majority, three trustees – upon recommendation of the factions with the largest number of the members of parliamentary opposition, and three trustee – upon recommendation of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Ajara.
A candidate for trustee shall be a citizen of Georgia having public recognition and confidence. He/she shall have a master’s or equivalent degree and at least 10 years of work experience, including at least five years of work experience in journalistic, human rights, finances, electronic communications, arts, writing and/or academic fields.
The term of office of a trustee shall be six years, except as provided for by paragraph 5 of article 24 of “Law on Broadcasting” of Georgia. The term of office of a trustee starts on the day following the day of expiry of the term of office of the previous trustee.
In the case of premature termination of powers of a trustee, the term of powers of a new trustee elected as a replacement for the previous trustee shall be limited to the remaining term of office of the previous trustee. If less than one year is left before the expiry of the term of office of a trustee, the position of a trustee, in the case of premature termination, shall remain vacant until his/her term of office expires.
One third of the composition of trustees is replaced every two years by way of rotation.
Functions of the Board of Trustees and rights and obligations of trustees
The Board of Trustees shall:
a) identify programme priorities of the Public Broadcaster and Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster;
b) adopt, upon recommendation of the Director General, by at least two thirds of votes of the members of the Board on the current nominal list, the statute of the Public Broadcaster, and make a change to the statute of the Public Broadcaster, which shall ensure the editorial independence of relevant structural units, and be authorised to make a change to the statute of the Public Broadcaster on its own initiative, except when a change refers to the provisions related to the structure of the Public Broadcaster;
c) upon recommendation of the Director of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, by a majority of two thirds of the total number, adopt the statute of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, and shall make a change in the statute of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, which must provide for the insurance of editorial independence of the structural units concerned; be authorised to make a change in the statute of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, except when the change refers to the provisions related to the structure of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster;
d) upon recommendation of the Director General, adopt the budget of the Public Broadcaster, and a change to the budget of the Public Broadcaster, and approve the report of the performance of the budget of the Public Broadcaster;
e) upon recommendation of the Director of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, adopt the budget of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, and a change to the budget of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, and approve the report of the performance of the budget of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster;
f) hear a quarterly performance report of the Public Broadcaster and of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, including a financial report (in accordance with the international financial accounting standards), within one month after the end of a quarter;
g) give its consent to the Director General for conducting a transaction the value of which exceeds 1% of the budget of the Public Broadcaster;
h) give its consent to the Director of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster for conducting a transaction the value of which exceeds 1% of the budget of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster;
i) determine conditions and the amount of remuneration of the Director General and of the Director of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster;
j) upon recommendation of the Director General, approve the staff list and salaries of employees of the Public Broadcaster, the wage fund, including the bonus fund and maximum amounts of bonuses;
k) upon recommendation of the Director of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, approve the staff list and salaries of employees of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster, the wage fund, including the bonus fund and maximum amounts of bonuses.
A trustee shall:
a) perform the duties of a trustee in good faith;
b) be authorised to request that a specific issue be included in the agenda of the Board of Trustees;
c) be authorised to request and receive any information related to the activities of the Public Broadcaster and of Ajara TV and Radio of the Public Broadcaster.
