GPB Chairman of the Board Emzar Goguadze at the press conference. (GPB)

The Board of the Georgian Public Broadcaster (GPB) in Tbilisi has sacked Director General Giorgi Baratashvili for the second time despite pressure “in particular from security agencies” which it said threatened media freedom and the democratic transition.

Mr Baratashvili, aged 38, was dismissed for the first time at the beginning of 2013 but reinstated six months ago by the Supreme Court.

In an announcement on GPB’s website, the nine-member Board said it decided unanimously to revoke the contract of Mr Baratashvili after he had failed repeatedly to provide adequate information on GPB’s future development and reform. Tamaz Tkemaladze, 64, Deputy Director General since April, will take over ad interim.

The Board expressed “deep concern” about attempts to pressurise the Board [into maintaining Mr Baratashvili as DG]. “Pressure was exercised on newly-elected Chairman of the Board Emzar Goguadze by security agency officer Irakli Tsibadze,” the statement said. Mr Tsibadze met Mr Goguadze on 5 September offering him various favours in return for "becoming friendlier". Otherwise he would take “appropriate” measures.

“We as members of the Board would like to express our deep concern...Freedom of the media is one of the most important values that drive democratic reforms in Georgia. Precedents like this one create a serious threat to democratic transition and the future of democracy in Georgia.”

Georgians will elect next month a successor to President Mikheil Saakashvili, leader of the United National Movement party. The UNM lost parliamentary elections last year to the “Georgian Dream” coalition led by billionaire businessman Bidzina Ivanichvili, who is now Prime Minister.