Deconstruction of Private Properties For the Construction of House of Justice

Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti

Property located in the Papa Park in Gurjaani is being seized from Anna Zakalashvili-Mtivlishvili for the construction of House of Justice. Her building was destroyed yesterday before she satisfied the request of the Kakheti regional and district governors and assigned her property to the state as a gift.

According to the National Agency of Public Registry Anna Zakalashvili-Mtivlishvili owns 90 sq. meters of non-agricultural plot in the territory of Papa Park in Gurjaani. Before, public toilet and shops were placed in the area. Anna Zakalashvili-Mtivlishvili received the property from her brother - former manager of the People’s Bank’s Gurjaani office Nodar Zakalashvili.

Officers of the Kakheti regional department of the investigative office of the Revenue Service arrested Nodar Zakalashvili in February 2009 for the misappropriation of particularly large amount of money. After the detention, Zakalashvili was dismissed from the position. In 2010, Zakalashvili signed plea-agreement with the prosecutor and paid 12 000 GEL to the state budget as a fine; 6-year conditional sentence was imposed on him in addition.

According to the verified information, Gurjaani district governor Shota Utiashvili called Nodar Zakalashvili several times and demanded him to ask his sister to assign the plot in the Papa Park to the state. Unless his request is satisfied, Zakalashvili was promised to remove the conditional sentence from him; otherwise the new case will be launched against him based on newly discovered circumstances. Anna Zakalashvili is agree to assign the plot to the state but in exchange of 20 000 GEL only. Initially, the district and regional governors agreed to pay the money but later they refused.

Gurjaani district governor Shota Utiashvili denies the information about oppression on the private owner.

Head of the public relation department of the Ministry of Justice Khatuna Iosava told us two days ago that the ministry is not discussing seizure of the property from any owner yet.

“Although we plan to construct a house of justice in Gurjaani, the building has not started yet. Supposedly the building will be modern and suitable to the local architect; it will be built in the town center. At this moment, we are considering the territory of Papa Park for the construction of the House, because citizen will easily reach the place; in addition, new beautiful building will appear in Gurjaani and believe us, Gurjaani dwellers will be proud and pleased with it,” said Iosava.

On July 28, Anna Zakalashvili-Mtivlishvili’s property was destroyed. The officials from the district administration observed the process and Tamaz Abramishvili, head of public service and amenities, was supervising the deconstruction. In addition, perennial trees were chopped down in the park.

The Ministry of Justice is building houses of justice throughout Georgia. The purpose of the House of Justice is unification of service centers in one building for effective and available service of people.