Zaza Okuashvili makes a statement regarding "Mtavari Arkhi"

Not too long ago, in 2004, I was the first to publicly reveal the facts of government pressure on business, specifically the extortion of shares from the Omega Group, including TV Iberia.

In 2018, I was also the first to expose the true face of Ivanishvili, still by the example of extortion of my Omega Group and TV Iberia and as of today, I am engaged in four ongoing international legal disputes against him and his group, in courts of Great Britain and Sweden.

Today, I am compelled to speak about Bidzina Ivanishvili, Nika Gvaramia and his protégé in Mtavari Arkhi Giorgi Gabunia. I founded Mtavari Arkhi on the base of TV Iberia. Immediately after opening Mtavari Arkhi, Nika Gvaramia initially set his monthly salary at 88,500 GEL and later engaged in money laundering – laundering millions of undeclared cash dollars, by transfers from Georgia to international bank accounts, including Europe and Great Britain. As a director, over the years, he drove TV Mtavari Arkhi to the brink of artificial bankruptcy, leaving it with a state debt of 13 million GEL, as of today. At the same time, Nika Gvaramia, as a director, misappropriated funds belonging to the Omega Group and additionally damaged Omega Group as an owner of Mtavari Arkhi, by nearly 6 million GEL.

Gvaramia and Gabunia, due to committing financial crimes at TV Mtavari Arkhi, have become executors of Ivanishvili’s and his group’s directives. Nika Gvaramia took multiple steps to split-up the opposition in favour of the ruling party.

It has been 9 months, since a director of TV Mtavari Arkhi, Giorgi Kurdadze, appointed by me has revealed the crimes of the channel’s former and current general directors. He has sent more than 50 warning letters to Giorgi Gabunia and other responsible persons at TV Mtavari Arkhi, including Nika Gvaramia, demanding the cessation of illegal schemes.

During nine months, the director of TV Mtavari Arkhi, Giorgi Kurdadze, despite all forms of pressure and written threats from them, refuses to sign inappropriate documentation and demands from Nika Gvaramia and Giorgi Gabunia, so that the television channel’s activity returns to legal frameworks. The television should be freed from Nika Gvaramia’s sole control, who as of today, is himself under instruction and protection of Bidzina Ivanishvili and his group, because of unlawfully appropriated millions of GEL and USD.

Nika Gvaramia and Giorgi Gabunia, for some reason, have chosen this particularly critical period for the country to cover up their crimes, attempted to portray the situation as if Giorgi Kurdadze is now creating obstacles for them, especially now. This comes against the backdrop of unlawful negligence of Giorgi Kurdadze's signature as the director, rendering it effectively illegal throughout this entire period. Nothing has changed at TV Mtavari Arkhi, despite the fact that all relevant state agencies, including the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank, the Revenue Service and the Prosecutor General, are in possession of existing facts.

I want to inform the public, that there is only one solution in order to maintain the independence of Mtavari Arkhi: to cease damaging TV Mtavari Arkhi by financial schemes for Bidzina Ivanishvili’s political goals. To achieve this, it is necessary for Nika Gvaramia’s protégé, Giorgi Gabunia, to resign from his position as general director. A person chosen together with the employees of TV Mtavari Arkhi, should be appointed to the vacant position, also a board should be elected from representatives of public, to ensure that the channel operates within the framework of the law and that broadcasting is balanced and objective. The professional and dedicated work of the channel’s employees, should not be used for specific political benefit, by Nika Gvaramia’s manipulated role.

I call on the real second majority shareholder, besides me, while there is still time, to take an active position instead of maintaining neutrality, so that TV Mtavari Arkhi does not fall victim to the political plans of Bidzina Ivanishvili, through usage Nika Gvaramia. Whom would rather shut down Mtavari Arkhi, than lose control over it and let it be independent.

Today, with timely action, two of us together, as the largest shareholders of “Mtavari Arkhi”, have strength, to place the Mtavari Arkhi in service of society.

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