Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Abkhazia closes Media Center


The Abkhaz Media Center is carrying out its own liquidation procedures. As a result, the Radio, TV Company and website of the Abkhaz Media Center will cease functioning. The Media Center personnel have demanded a meeting with the legitimate authorities of Abkhazia to clarify the situation. The Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers, Malkhaz Akishbaia, stated that the abolition was expedient because the Media Center couldn’t provide adequate information delivery to the population in Abkhazia.

“The TV Company of Abkhazia could only cover the territory under the control of the Georgian side because of well-known reasons. We’d like its broadcasts to reach the territory beyond the river Enguri. And we cannot carry this out at only our expense. In the near future a tender will be announced for creating a website and a radio station, and later we may also talk about a TV company. As to the Media Center personnel, I’d like to note that about 15 persons will continue working for the PR Office”, the Chairman of the Abkhaz Legitimate Authorities stated to the GHN agency.

(Source: Georgian Times)

NB: This refers to the Abkhazian Autonomous Republic, recognized by Georgia, with the capital Chkhalta. The majority of Abkhazia is controlled by the government of the breakaway Abkhazian Republic, based in Sukhumi, which is not recognised by Georgia.
(R Netherlands Media Network Weblog)