Recently launched Channel 9, television station owned by leader of Georgian Dream opposition coalition Bidzina Ivanishvili’s wife, has bought 10% shares of Gori-based television station, Trialeti TV, which also runs a local radio station, for USD 1 million, it was announced on May 15.

10% shares have been bought from Badri Nanetashvili, who before the deal held 30% of Trialeti’s shares; his brother Joni Nanetashvili owns 50% of the TV and radio station Trialeti.

Nanetashvili, who is a former lawmaker, said at a news conference on May 15, that Trialeti TV, covering the Shida Kartli region, would start retransmitting Channel 9’s main news bulletins.

Channel 9 is currently available to those with a dish antenna via satellite through the Turkish satellite operator Turksat, as well as to subscribers of Global TV cable network, co-owned by Ivanishvili’s brother. No other cable operator carries the TV channel.