Evicted from Melikishvili str. # 47 live in the street

Giorgi Janelidze,humanrightshouze.org

On March 28 this year, 13 families were evicted from the building in Melikishvili str. # 47. The fate of the homeless people is still unclear. Among evicted people are little children, old and bed-bounded sick people.

The inhabitants were evicted from the damaged building by force. Mtatsminda district administration and police representatives observed the eviction process together with the investor. Currently, the homeless people live in the shelter in Nikoladze Street.

Tents covered with blue polyethylene are set up in the entrance of the amortized building. There is a table of wooden boxes with some cheese, bread and cans on it. Blankets and warm duvets help homeless people to spend cold days in the street. Part of them say the residents of the neighboring residential buildings complain about their presence in the shelter and very often insult them for a smoke coming from the wood stove.

The evicted people are socially indigent and they urge the state to create minimal living conditions for them. The homeless people said the Mtatsminda district administration promised them to pay rent but they have to find the flat themselves. “It was very difficult to find a flat. The owners request 300 lari in advance; we do not have that money to pay. As soon as potential owner learns that the state shall pay the rent they refuse us to give their space. They said very often the state stops paying the rent and they do not wish to allow people like us to live in their flats,” one of the evicted persons said.

Mtatsminda district governor Gela Archvadze said they have paid rent to all citizens who applied to them for help. “If a person is registered in Mtatsminda district and deserves our help in accordance to the law, we will pay their rents. But they must select the flat. However, these people request registration of flats instead renting. Currently we do not have enough resources in the budget to give flats to socially indigent citizens in Tbilisi. We offered them what we could do,” the district governor said.

Gela Archvadze said the district administration has already rented flats for two families with little children. The administration is ready to pay rent to the families even if they find accommodation in other districts of Tbilisi.

Currently, about ten evicted families live in the street. Somebody stole food of their children, plates and dishes and other household items from the tents at night. “Somebody took plates at night when we were sleeping. They stole children food, milk, oil and pipes. If we stay here for another week, we will lose everything,” one of the evicted persons said.