Paris court to consider Georgia's claim to Eutelsat

The claim deals with the change of contract by the operator.

The changes lead to severance of broadcasting of the First Caucasian channel.

This Russian-language channel was established on the base of the Public TV of Georgia in early 2010.

It was oriented on the national minorities of North Caucasus.

The anchorpeople were to be Alla Dudayeva, the widow of ex-president of Chechnya, and Oleg Panfilov, the head of the Centre of Extreme Journalism, citizen of Georgia, called one of the most active participants of Georgian "special propaganda" for Russian audience.

In late January the channel was disconnected from the French satellite.

According to PTV of Georgia, Eutelsat changed terms of contract without warning and made it inadmissible for the Georgian side.

Now the First Caucasian is available only via Internet and cables of Georgia.

Managers of the PTV and Fist Caucasian arrived in Paris to learn the reasons of changed terms.

Management of the Public Broadcaster saw political reasons for that and filed a lawsuit.

According to Zurab Dvali, the CEO of First Caucasian, the disconnection could happen "not without Russia's help".

/Georgia Times/