TBILISI, DFWatch — Friday, authorities in Georgia lifted the seizure of thousands of satellite dishes belonging to Maestro TV and Georgian Dream affiliated Global TV, a cable network operator.

Both companies on Friday received a letter about the lifting of the seizure. The document is dated October 2 and says that there is no necessity to seize the equipment.

Maestro TV’s satellite dishes were seized several months ago because the TV company allegedly attempted to bribe voters to vote for Georgian Dream through distributing satellite dishes to the population for free.

But the managers of the TV company said the reason they distributed the equipment was that they were conducting a PR campaign called ‘Maestro in each family’, which involved distributing satellite dishes to vulnerable families on credit, so that they could pay back the cost over a certain period.

Maestro representatives says they will continue the project. 30 000 satellite dishes and 15 000 receivers of Maestro were seized in June.

As for Global TV it’s a cable network company affiliated to Georgian Dream and which has faced number of problems ever after Bidzina Ivanishivli, coalition leader decided to come in politics. Az Zurab Bazlidze, director of company kept claiming government drew his company on the edge of bankruptcy – company faced the amount of five million lari of loss.

Over 100 000 satellite dishes of Global TV were seized a bit earlier than Maestro dishes. The reason was same: accusation to bribe voters.

He on Friday said they do not have information whether technique is damaged or not, or if anything is lost.