Ten opposition parties, jointly campaigning for elections to be held in April, instead of late next year, have said they would boycott Rustavi 2 TV’s new political talk show.

The boycott, they said, would continue as long as ruling party and governmental officials continue to boycott a rival TV station, Imedi. Opponents accuse Rustavi 2 TV of being pro-government and officials complain that Imedi, co-owned by tycoon Badri Patarkatsishvili, is biased, and sympathetic to the opposition.

The opposition announced its decision on October 25, shortly before the new talk show went on air. The show's anchor, Vakho Sanaia, said the decision came as a surprise as initially opposition politicians had agreed to participate. He suggested they had come under pressure from Imedi TV.