"The next step may be to suspend the TV license" - Bekauri commission to decide today on the complaints against 3 TV stations

"Georgian Dream vs Critical Media" - The regulatory commission is scheduled to meet today at 15:00., and there is a good chance that the Mtavari Channel, Formula and TV Pirveli will be fined. The case concerns a complaint by the Georgian Dream, which is suing three independent media outlets for showing the "Home, to Europe" campaign video.

Representatives of the TV companies say that even allowing the complaint to be heard was a violation of the law, but the regulatory commission is carrying out the order of the ruling party, and therefore the final decision will be political:

"This may indeed be a turning point for the Mtavari Channel, because we have already been financially sanctioned and now our TV license may be suspended, and under no circumstances should the authorities be allowed to punish the pro-European course in this country and media outlets expressing free opinion," Mtavari Channel anchor Paata Iakobashvili said.

Based on the past experience the TV channels do not hope for an objective and fair decision of the Bekauri Commission, although they say that the decision has already been made and the hearing is likely to be formal.