IDPs Ask Varshalomidze to Solicit for Them With the President

IDPs living in Adjara urge the chairman of the Adjara Government Levan Varshalomidze to solicit for them with the President of Georgia. They request accommodations in new buildings constructed for IDPs in Tamari settlement.

IDPs, who have received 7 000 USD compensation from the government, urge the government for accommodations in social residential houses. They state the compensation distributed by investors in 2006 was not enough to purchase a shelter. So, they urge the government to satisfy them with accommodation. “We know they plan to construct more residential buildings for IDPs. Let them give us guarantees that we will receive space in any of new buildings,” said IDP Ekaterine Dolidze.

IDPs residing in Batumi think the government shall give flats in the new buildings first to local IDPs. They said the people, who have never lived in Abkhazia, received flats in the residential buildings in Tamari Settlement.

Jina Gurchiani, an IDP: “A man from Ninoshvili Street worked on the Enguri Bridge only one year; then his family received an IDP status and now they live in the new building.”

Health Care and Social Welfare Minister of Adjara Autonomous Republic Temur Gabaidze excludes possibility to give flats to IDPs who received compensations. “The IDPs, who received compensations, will not receive any guarantees. First of all, the state shall shelter those IDPs who have not received any compensation yet. Afterwards, the state will consider the case of other socially disabled people within its ability.”

At the moment, 1 438 IDP families live in Adjara. About 400 of them received accommodations. 921 families received compensations in 2006 during mass eviction but most of them still do not have property.

22 residential houses with 608 flats were constructed in Tamari Settlement in Batumi with financial aid of the Municipal Development Foundation and EU.

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara