The Georgian National Communications Commission will rule on placing administrative penalty on Caucasus Online on 25 June. The case concerns the unlawful sale of company shares without GNCC’s approval. Caucasus Online is still refusing to comply with its duties under law. 

The Commission first ruled the sale of company shares without GNCC’s prior approval as unlawful on 17 October 2019 and instructed Caucasus Online to reverse the transaction. As the company failed to comply with the ruling, it was fined 30,000 GEL on 12 December 2019, and then 90,000 GEL on 6 February 2020 for continued non-compliance. Caucasus Online had to revert its shareholding to the pre-sale status quo until 22 February, but once again failed to comply.

On 12 March 2020, GNCC issued Caucasus Online with the maximum fine of 270,000 GEL. It also took into consideration the company’s request to be given a two-month deadline for reverting its shareholding to the status quo due to the restrictions related to the pandemic. Nevertheless, the company once again failed to fulfil its obligations. Since Caucasus Online has now been refusing to comply with its obligations for 8 months, GNCC has initiated the process of suspending the company’s authorisation.