Ivanishvili invites 10 TV channels to his residence for a joint interview

Among the invited channels to interview Ivanishvili there are Maestro, Rustavi 2, Imedi, Kavkasia, GDS, Tabula (2030)

Tbilisi, DFWatch – After negotiations between former PM Bidzina Ivanishvili and two opposition TV channels fails, the billionaire and Georgian strongman issues a statement inviting 10 major TV channel to a press conference.

The conference is scheduled on Tuesday at Ivanishvili Sololaki residence at noon. The list of invitees include Maestro, Rustavi 2, Imedi, 1^st Channel of the Public Broadcaster, Pirveli, Obiektivi, Kavkasia, GDS, Tabula and Iberia.

The format proposed by Ivanishvili press office consists of an introductory speech by ex-PM and journalists putting forward questions alternatively.

On Wednesday Ivanishvili offered Rustavi 2 and Tabula, two openly pro-UNM TV channels, to meet their journalists and answer all their questions.

However, it turned out that negotiations over the format of the interview failed on Monday.

Rustavi 2 declined former PM’s offer to hold an interview at the ‘neutral’ place and offered its talk show Archevani studio as a venue.

Tabula TV agreed to the format, however, Ivanishvili’s side demanded to have another TV present at the interview, which was declined by the former as it was eager to attend an interview with another TV channel ‘with similar editorial policies’ and it recognize only Rustavi 2 as such a channel.