The Communications Commission’s decision regarding financial transparency of broadcasters is in full compliance with the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting. The Supreme Court of Georgia upheld the judgment of the Court of Appeals related to this matter. In particular, the Supreme Court rejected the appeal of the former management of Rustavi 2 (current management of Mtavari Arkhi) regarding the Commission’s decision. Thus, the broadcaster’s case has been dismissed at all  levels of the judicial branch.

Based on the above, broadcasters are now obliged by the decision of the Communications Commission, the Law of Georgia on Broadcasting, as well as the judgments of courts of all instances, to provide financial transparency forms approved by the Commission.  

Most broadcasters did not fulfil the requirements of the Law on Financial Transparency of the Media, as they spent years appealing the decision of the Communications Commission in various court instnances.

Due to the fact that broadcasters refused to comply with the legislation for several years, Georgia was frequently criticised by institutions such as the US State Department, which mentioned the country’s failure to fulfil its legal duties in its 2017, 2018 and 2019 reports.

The main objective of the Law on Financial Transparency of the Media which was adopted in 2013, was to ensure that the public receives detailed information about the media funding sources at all times, including outside the election campaign period, and specifically about the extent to which the financial sources of the broadcasters influence their editorial policies.