Today is the deadline for applications for the director of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB). We have repeatedly raised concerns about the independence and managerial problems at GPB. We believe that a strong and politically independent Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) can only become a reality if its Board appoints the best qualified candidate as broadcaster's new executive director. The best candidate should be selected based on experience, qualification and the vision he or she offers for a new GPB, not based on loyalty to any political group or network.

In order to make the selection process more transparent and to increase public trust in the new management, we suggest the Board to conduct the hearings in a public forum and to allow civil society representatives and to attend the applicant interviews.

We believe Georgia needs a public broadcaster that is free from political interference and self-censorship, that offers investigative reporting, informative news, enlightening debates, and programs that promote mutual understanding of different groups and aspects of society. To make this happen, it will need a highly skilled and qualified manager that has a deep understanding of the GPB’s mission and its role in society.

We hope that from the one side the civil society representatives will not ignore the process and from the other side the board will pass this test and prove that it can take unbiased decision and can act in the interests of the general public.

Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia)

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Assciation (GYLA)

International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy (ISFED)

Article 42 of the Consitution