“Debates represent a key part of political life; it is clear and not worth arguing about. Any TV station which does not operate on propaganda whims should, of course, conduct debates with great joy. However, a backstage reality exists, and this should be taken into account,” wrote Vasil Maghlaperidze, Chairman of the Georgian Public Broadcaster’s Board of Trustees, in his social media post.
According to Maghlaperidze, considerable experience has been accumulated in this regard, which the public should also acknowledge.
“The GPB’s First Channel always attempted to organize debates, including in the pre-election period, but a full-fledged debate never took place, because the desire and determination of television alone were not enough for that:
a) Attempts to hold debates are usually preceded by endless arguments and claims about who should sit where and with whom for a debate, and finally, as it usually happens, the process ends without a result. For instance, in the fall of 2024, before the elections, after lengthy negotiations, six opposition parties finally refused to participate in the debates.
b) On December 4, 2024, as if this had to be a breakthrough, two opposition representatives, Tinatin Khidasheli and Papuna Janelidze, demanded debates with the Georgian Prime Minister and Parliament Speaker, who in their turn agreed to participate in the debates. There was an expectation that this one debate would be followed by another and that a dialogue between political groups would commence.
Due to high public interest, the GPB’s First Channel promptly modified its broadcast programming and scheduled the debates for 10 p.m. on December 4. However, the same evening, the opposition representatives unexpectedly changed their decision and refused to participate in the debates.
There was another attempt to hold debates in January 2025, this time between opposition parties, which was also preceded by lengthy negotiations. Trivial issues, which, as a rule, a producer makes decisions, were negotiated. This time, the television station was making all sorts of concessions, and yet, almost until the last minute, it was not known whether the debate would take place or not.
The debates were held, but amid constant offence, interruptions and shouting, the audience could not hear who was saying what. This program only resulted in everyone’s rejection to participate in the next debates.
This is a negative experience that we must definitely take into account and overcome.
In its turn, the Public Broadcaster, as always, is ready for debate this time and will spare no effort to ensure that this process proceeds normally,” Vasil Maghlaperidze said.