In the TV program ”Subjective Opinion” aired on TV company Maestro on October 22, 2012 along with other issues it was a talk about the Georgian National Communications Commission.

One of the presenters of the program talked about a conflict of interests of Irakli Chikovani, Chairman of the Commission, because he holds a share in advertising company Magi Style Media.

The Commission has repeatedly given explanation regarding this issue and we explain once more that the Georgian National Communications Commission regulates electronic communications and broadcasting spheres. Advertising is not regulated by the Georgian National Communications Commission. In accordance with the Georgian legislation Irakli Chikovani faces no conflict of interests at the position of the Chairman of the Georgian National Communications Commission.

The presenter of the program also talked about observance of advertising time limits defined by the law from broadcasting companies’ side and noted that the Commission did not react to violations of advertising time limits. We would like to inform the society that the Commission twice imposed sanctions on TV company Rustavi 2 for violation of advertising time limits defined by the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting. TV company Imedi was also imposed a fine for the same violation.

The presenters stated that the Commission changed the law and increased advertising time limits. We would like to inform the society that authorities of the Commission go beyond the lawmaking. Laws in Georgia are adopted by the legislative body of Georgia. The Commission is not authorized to apply even to the Parliament for legislative proposals. Accordingly amendments to the law were made by the Parliament, not by the Commission.