Georgian media helps to strengthen existing stereotypes and identifies its own citizens with the neighboring country due to their different ethnic and religious origins, rather than with their own state, says the report by Georgia-based Media Development Foundation.

“The law adopted for the citizens of Georgia - representatives of various confessions - is discussed by media as a deliberate step towards other countries mainly benefiting Armenia, and journalists focus on Armenian interests against the Georgian interest (for example, “Interests of the Armenian Church are clear, but what interest should Georgian State have?”),” reads the report available on foundation’s website (www.mdfgeorgia.ge).

Moreover, the report mentions that minorities are represented as secondary citizens. “who can not claim equality, as well as the right to demand property regardless whether or not the religious building belongs to their confession”.

The report also covers the problem of Armenophobic expressions in media.

“As for discriminative, Armenophobic and hatred inciting expressions, authors of such expressions in some cases are journalists themselves. Sometime media publishes opinions of respondents without informing them on how such expressions might be perceived by minorities. It should be mentioned that greater share of Amenophobia comes to print media, and most stereotypes are mainly related to Armenians,” the report says.