GNCC has drawn a protocol of administrative offenses to the newspaper “Tkibuli” for the violation of rules of pre-electoral agitation and political advertising and has transferred it to the city court (Tkibuli) for further reaction.   

In the July issue of the newspaper “Tkibuli” an agitation letter was published by an MP of Tkibuli Elguja Gotsiridze for the political union “Georgian Dream” – “Democratic Georgia” which didn’t indicate whether the published material was paid or free political advertisement.

In accordance with the resolution №9 of GNCC of August 15, 2016, of the Organic Law of Georgia “on Election Code” and “on participation of media in pre-electoral process and rules of its application,” while publishing an agitation letter, before the headline of the letter and in the corner of an advertisement, there must be an inscription "paid political advertising" or "free political advertising."

In addition, it should be noted, that in accordance with sub-paragraph 2 of Paragraph 50 of the Organic Law of Georgia “on Election Code of Georgia” From the moment of announcement of elections until the sum up of election results, newspapers, funded by central or local budgets, fall under media monitoring. With a regard to above-mentioned, GNCC has requested information about newspapers financed by local or central budgets from the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, the municipal representatives and executive bodies and Autonomous Republics of Abkhazia and Adjara. As a result of processing of the data obtained, 31 newspapers fell under the pre-electoral media monitoring during the Parliamentary Elections of Georgia of October 8, 2016. (Information about newspapers is available at the Commission’s web-site).

The request to ensure monitoring during pre-election period has been sent to all newspapers in accordance with requirements of Annex №2 to submit information of  the Commission’s resolution №9 of August 15, 2016, of the Organic Law of Georgia “on Election Code” and “on participation of media in pre-electoral process and rules of its application” however, 23 newspapers, despite the fact that  they have received Commission’s letter, do not present information. Newspaper “Tkibuli” is among them.