The “Audit Compliance Report” prepared by the State Audit Office on Public Broadcaster had caused a great public outcry. The report reviews existing financial and managerial problems in the broadcaster during 2015-2016, including the details on unreasonable expenditure of the budget, deficiencies in the procurements, tailor’s tenders and conflict of interests.

Despite numerous demands of the representatives of the civic society, the Parliament of Georgia failed to hold a public discussion during which the findings of the audit compliance report would be discussed including whether the broadcaster fulfills the obligations specified by the legislation. Unfortunately the State Audit Office refused to carry out an unplanned examination of the activities of the broadcaster in 2017.

In public statements the officials of the Public Broadcaster disagreed with the findings of the audit report and later the broadcaster presented the written document containing its response.

Given the fact that there is number of legitimate questions in the society related to the performance of the Public Broadcaster, we still consider that:

• The Parliament of Georgia should organize a public discussion with the participation of the representatives of the State Audit Office, Public Broadcaster and other stakeholders, where the problematic issues presented in the audit report will be assessed particularly whether the public broadcaster fulfills the obligations defined by the legislation.