The Tbilisi City Court sentenced the former general director of the Rustavi-2 television company, now the general director of the opposition television company Mtavari Nick Gvaray to 3 years and 6 months of imprisonment. He was detained in the courtroom, writes “Echo of the Caucasus.”
Guariya was found guilty under Article 220 of the Criminal Code of Georgia – abuse of powers contrary to the legitimate interests of this organization, in order to extract benefits or advantages, for himself or other persons, which caused significant damage. The episode, according to which the judge sentenced Gvaray to 3.5 years in prison, concerns an expensive car bought by an advertising company.
In November 2019, the Prosecutor General’s Office said that in February of the same year, Rustavi 2 CEO for personal use and use of his family in Porsche Centre chose the new Porsche Macan S car worth 76.7 thousand euros. ” According to the prosecutor’s office, “contrary to the legitimate interests of the television company,” Gvaray decided to purchase this car along the barter – in exchange for placing advertising an auto center on Rustavi 2.
The investigation found that on February 27, the “Proesko Media” and Porsche Center issued an agreement on the purchase and sale of the aforementioned car. The statement of the Prosecutor General’s Office emphasized that immediately after this, an expensive machine “passed into the actual use of Guariya and his family members, and formally the owner was recorded“ an advertising company. According to the investigation, on the same day, “Prolesko Media” and Porsche Centre entered into an advertising service cost worth 76,700 euros, “in the framework of which advertising on the air“ Rustavi 2 ”occurred at a favorable/low price.”
Nika Gvaray was fired from the post of Rustavi CEO 2 July 18, 2019 – on the same day when the TV channel after long litigation and consideration of their legitimacy in the European Court of Human Rights was returned to one of the former owners, businessman Kibar Halvashi. In August of the same year, Guaray established a new opposition television company Mtavari Arch, which is headed to this day.