July 14, 2008
Civil Georgia

A small Tbilisi-based TV station, Maestro, which is embroiled in a dispute with the communication regulatory commission over a political programming license, has alleged that the commission is deliberately dragging out the court hearing.

A court in Tbilisi was expected to resume a hearing into the case involving Maestro TV versus the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) on July 14. The hearing was, however, postponed till September 10 after GNCC representatives failed to show up, saying they were on a business trip to another town.

The TV station is appealing a commission decision from early April, according to which the TV station was denied a license for political programming.

Mamuka Glonti, head of Maestro TV, told Civil.Ge on July 14 that the delay in hearing the case was creating problems for the TV station. “Even if we win the case, it will be extremely hard for us to reshape our programming in September when the new TV season has already begun,” Glonti said.