Director Of Georgia's Public Broadcasting Steps Down

Giorgi Chanturia

TBILISI -- The general director of Georgia's national public broadcaster has officially tendered his resignation amid a dispute with the country's prime minister.

Officials at the Georgian public broadcaster expected the company's Supervising Council to decide on Giorgi Chanturia's fate within the next 24 hours.

Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili, whose Georgian Dream coalition won parliamentary elections in October, has harshly criticized Chanturia in the past.

Ivanishvili has accused Chanturia of "implementing political orders from President Mikheil Saakashvili and his team."

After Ivanishvili became prime minister, an audit conducted at the national public broadcaster accused Chanturia and his associates of having evaded millions of dollars in taxes.

Chanturia's team denies the accusation.