The Prime Minister of Georgia attended the opening ceremony of the new building of the Public Broadcaster [PB]. As Irakli Kobakhidze said, “the building stands out for its outstanding contents and is highly efficient in terms of infrastructure”.

“I am glad that from today the PB will work in a completely different environment, in a new building and with fully updated equipment, which is very important for every journalist.

Today, the PB enjoys the basic right of media freedom guaranteed by the Constitution of Georgia in exactly the same way as private broadcasters enjoy. Moreover, in the Constitution of Georgia in 2017, Article 17 specifically reflected the record about the PB, and Georgia is one of the rare cases where the institutional status of the PB is guaranteed by the Constitution.

In addition, the Constitution ensures the independence of the PB from state agencies and freedom from political and substantial commercial influence. This is one of the subtle notes that can be found in various constitutions regarding the PB. This is the current attitude towards the media in general, towards the PB, and this building, I think, is another manifestation of this attitude.

The history of Georgian TV and radio broadcasting began in the PB, therefore the PB today has and will always have a special role for our country. We are aware of the Government’s responsibility to constantly take care of the PB, its independence, and its continuous development. On behalf of the Government of Georgia, I can give you a promise that this care will definitely continue in the future, so that the television with almost a century of history can provide the public with objective information about the current events in the country.

Once again, I want to congratulate you on the opening of the new building. I especially want to congratulate the journalists, the people who created the history of the PB for decades, and I want to wish you great success in your professional activities”, - said Irakli Kobakhidze.