The Member organizations of Media Advocacy Coalition call on the Government of Georgia to suspend the deadline for payment of media taxes until July 2020 without any penalties or additional charges.
Today smooth working of media, due to the situation of COVID-19, for people living in quarantine and self-isolation, it is important to get information, will double the responsibility of the state. We believe that the Government of Georgia is obliged to help media organizations to play their greatest role in ensuring public awareness.
We believe that the Government of Georgia is committed to helping media organizations play their greatest role in ensuring public awareness. On March 20, 2020, it was reported that the collection of payments were deposited on the account of TV companies TVPirveli and Mtavari Arkhi. Later, the government interpreted the issue as one of its decisions.
We have repeatedly talked about selective tax policy towards broadcasters and it remains a tool of the pressure of various Georgian authorities to the media and once again we addressed to the government to change the deadline for paying off the debt.
As of today, the collection of payments was deposited on several national and regional media outlets (television, radio or online publications) due to the financial crisis caused by the pandemic. However most face a similar risk. Given the current situation, we once again call on the Government of Georgia to take interim measures and impose immediate benefits to the media.
It is noteworthy that similar benefits have been enacted by the government of the United States for all taxpayers in the United States.