MOSCOW. Aug 28 (Interfax-AVN) - The REN TV channel believes the fine imposed by Georgia on the company for broadcasting in Abkhazia and South Ossetia is baseless because the television channel is not broadcasting in any of these three countries, REN TV spokesman Anton Nazarov said.
"We believe that the fine imposed by the Georgian National Communications Commission [GNCC] is unfounded, and will be grateful to the Commission for providing us information about the companies which illegally rebroadcast our signal and for making them pay the damages caused to the REN TV channel by the illegal broadcast," Nazarov told Interfax on Friday.
After Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili banned Russian television channels from broadcasting in Georgia in August 2008, REN TV was compelled to "urgently terminate the contracts with our Georgian cable and on-air partners valid for 2008 and not to sign any new contracts from January 2009," the spokesman said.
"This means that any broadcast of the REN TV channel in Georgia, South Ossetia and Abkhazia that might be taking place at the moment would be illegal," Nazarov said.
Another television channel, NTV, said it was bewildered by Georgia's decision. The channel is acting fully in accordance with the Russian laws and on the basis of Russia's recognition of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.
"Like any Russian television company, the NTV is guided by the Russian Federation laws, including the Russian presidential decrees of August 26, 2008, recognizing South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We can only express our bewilderment over the attempts by some foreign authorities to regulate this activity insofar as broadcasting in the sovereign Abkhazia and South Ossetia is in total agreement with the Russian laws," the NTV spokesman said.
The Rossiya television channel did not comment on the GNCC decision
According to earlier reports, the GNCC imposed fines of 50,000-lari (about $30,000) on Russian television channels REN-TV, NTV, TV-Center, Rossiya, and Kultura.
"The Russian television channels have been fined for illegally broadcasting in Georgia's occupied territories," it said.
According to the Georgian Administrative Code, "carrying out illegal business activities in the occupied Georgian territories will be punished by a fine of 50,000 lari, any resumption of illegal activities - 500,000 lari," it said.