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“Rustavi 2” has a debt, worth up to 28 million, “Imedi” has up to 19 million, “Maestro” has more than 8 million – the minister of finance

“There are several TV channels with a very large debt, such as “Imedi”, “Rustavi 2” and “Maestro”, - says the minister of fincance Ivane Machavariani.

According to the minister, it is important for the TV channels to not allocate any more debts and gradually pay out the ones they already have during the following years.

“There are couple of TV channels with some large debts, these are “Imedi”, “Rustavi 2” and “Maestro”. “Rustavi 2” has up to 28 million, “Imedi” has up tp 19 million and “Maestro” has a little more than 8 million”, - noted Machavariani.

According to the minister, these debts have been allocating during the last couple of years.

“In general, if we look through the history, there has been an experience of such harmful practice in Georgia: TV companies would be having some debts, and then something like amnesty would eliminate them. This was happening over the course of different governments. I think the time has come for this matter to be resolved and I can also share our vision regarding the solutions to this problem”, - said the minister.

Machavariani explained, that the above mentioned decision has its motive.

“The thing is, there are televisions that are way smaller, but are not allocating any debts and are always paying accordingly. I think this is not fair and actually creates an inconvenience. For example, I can see the representative and the microphone of “TV Pirveli” here. This TV channel has been paying equitably during all these years. The same goes to, for example, “Kavkasia”. I think, since we are in the same legal environment, nobody can explain why is it fair for these televisions to be paying these debts equitably. Therefore, of course our motivation is to solve this issue once and for all. Everybody should start paying their debts”, - declared the minister.

Machavariani explained, that the old debts are pretty large and TV companies will have hard time covering them immediately, and it is possible for them to face the danger of not existing anymore.

“Of course, this doesn’t serve the interests of the government, or the interests of the society in general. Therefore, I, on a behalf of the ministry of finance and the revenue service, want to encourage the TV channels to come to us as soon as possible, within 1 or 2 weeks, and make their suggestions: how they envision the restructuration of their paying schedule “, - noted the minister.