Georgia closed the only TV channel broadcasted on Azerbaijani
15:32 15/02/2013 » SOCIETY
In Georgia, the only channel that was broadcasted in Azerbaijani is
closed. According to the Azerbaijani news agency `Vesti.az’, `one of
the largest national minorities of the country, the Azerbaijanis,
received another very painful blow.’ The agency notes that it recently
writes about the problems of Georgian Azerbaijanis, problems that the
local officials mainly create for them. Today, there is a new problem
there.
As the agency was informed by its readers who live in the Azerbaijani
region of Kvemo Kartli in Georgia, “Marneuli TV” suddenly stopped
broadcasting on local frequencies. This is the only channel
broadcasting in Azerbaijani. Director “Marneuli TV” Shalva Shubladze
confirmed the information received from local residents.
`Since 2006, we had signed a contract with TV Kvemo Kartli located in
Rustavi for using their frequencies. I want to say that we did not
have a sponsor, and we paid for the frequency by our own money.
However, since January of this year the contract was canceled by the
initiative of the “TV Kvemo Kartli” and the frequency was taken from
us, although we regularly paid for the use of the frequency.
Currently, the channel is broadcasted only by the Internet. Since
February 25 “Marneuli TV” will be broadcasted on Batumi channel for
some time. At present negotiations are being held for receiving
leasing of frequencies from different channels,’ Sh. Shubladze said.
The head of `human rights monitoring group of national minorities’
Elbrus Mammadov said that the local population in the region was
watching the programs on this channel, which broadcasted about 12
hours a day, both in Georgian and in Azerbaijani. He also noted that
much of the information on the social and economic problems, the
social and political life in Georgia are only available in national
language. The Azerbaijani in Kvemo Kartli do not possess Georgian at a
sufficient level which knocks them out of all the vital processes in
which they could take an active part.
In its turn, Azer Suleymanov, the lawmaker from the “United National
Movement” who was elected by Marneuli region, said that the issue on
stopping of “Marneuli TV” broadcast concerns the Azerbaijani society
in Georgia. “I will do my best to resume this channel as soon as
possible. Moreover, we will raise the issue of opening region a fully
Azerbaijani TV channel in Kvemo Kartli,” Azer Suleymanov said.
Source: Panorama.am
From: Baghdasarian