Transparency International-Georgia and Georgia's European Orbit extremely critically assessing Georgian Dream ruling party’s decision to force Georgian broadcasters to air the election advertisement in which the tragedy of the Ukrainian people is used speculatively for election purposes. Despite the fact that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine condemned the placement of election banners with the same content throughout Georgia and the EU ambassador to Georgia strongly condemned them, the Georgian Dream further activated the mentioned campaign and requested broadcasters to air the videos. While critical TV stations - Formula, Mtavari Arkhi and TV Pirveli - refuse to air it, pro-government TV stations - Imedi, POStv and Rustavi 2 -  have already aired the advertisement. The video has also been aired by Public Broadcaster.

This is not the first time when the ruling party uses extremely unacceptable tactics in its election campaign and incites violence against specific groups. In September, the ruling party also asked the broadcasters to air election advertisements in which non-governmental organizations are presented in an extremely unethical and dishonest context. The Communications Commission and the Court have unfairly penalized critical broadcasters for refusing to air commercials.

We express solidarity towards broadcasters that, despite the expected substantial financial fines, do not air discriminatory videos and call on Georgian Dream party to refrain from manipulating the tragedy of the Ukrainian people for political and electoral purposes, as well as from using advertisements of degrading, unethical content. Also, we call on the Communications Commission to take into account the severity of the context and with its own decision, on the one hand, not to hamper the functioning of the broadcasters, and on the other hand, not to facilitate and become propaganda tools of the ruling party.