Deutsche Welle interviews the Chairman of the oppositional ChristianDemocratic Movement, during the Global Media Forum in Bonn

With regards to the Russian-Georgian conflict, George Targamadze, Chairman of the largest oppositional party in Georgia said: "We should morally prevail." During an
interview at the Deutsche Welle Global Media Forum in Bonn, the Chairman of the Christian Democratic movement said that the military offers no solution to the bilateral conflict with Russia. He said that Georgia's perspective "reflects a modern European society" that concentrates on "evolution and not revolution." He went on to say that the attractiveness of such a model for Georgia would convince minorities, who are still pushing for separation, to stay in Georgia.
With regards to the current media landscape in Georgia, Targamadze said that the three television stations in Georgia are being heavily influenced by the government. "President Saakashvili has taken over control of all the television stations in the country," he said. "More than 95 percent of Georgians obtain their news from national television." Radio and newspapers, he said, play a far smaller role and access to Internet in Georgia isn't readily available yet.

Targamadze said that the media laws in Georgia are some of the most liberal in the region, but parliament is "too weak to control adherence". That's why he believes it's even more important for each station's governing board, and thereby the station itself, to move towards pluralism. "It's the only way that we can get independent reporting on television," he said, adding that this must be accompanied by professionalism in journalism - which is where international broadcasters like Deutsche Welle come in.

A portion of the money for Georgia from the European Union should go towards the establishment of independent media - especially television. Targamadze said support
from Western countries means a lot, because "Georgia is part of Western civilization."

June 4, 2009