Socially indigent disabled person urges for help

Nino Tugushi

Socially indigent disabled person Temur Maskhulia applied to Human Rights Center for help. He said he has been seeking defense of his rights for several months already.

“On September 15, 2015 I sent application letter to the Rustavi City Mayor Davit Jikia and asked single allowance to cover my 4-month flat rent that made up total 1000 lari. In their response letter the City Mayor’s administration clarified rights of the socially indigent person and wrote that social programs of the City Hall cannot provide socially indigent person with material assistance,” Temur Maskhulia said.

Afterwards Maskhulia petitioned the Rustavi City Hall to cover his communal bills but the local administration did not respond. On October 22, he remained without electricity supply; on July 21 drinking water supply was also suspended in his accommodation.

On September 7, 2015 State Services Development Agency of the Ministry of Justice notified Maskhulia that validity of his ID was suspended. Consequently he cannot receive allowance without the ID. He could not participate in any of the programs implemented by the Rustavi local self-government to assist citizens with free medicines. 

According to the Ministry of Justice, validity of Temur Maskhulia’s ID card will be resumed as soon as he gets registered anywhere. 

Before November 13, 2015 Maskhulia was renting a flat in Rustavi, whose owner is an employee of the Ministry of Justice Lia Khutsishvili. The latter several times called police to evict Maskhulia from her house.

“On November 13, police evicted me from the flat by force. After that I applied to the Kvemo Kartli regional and Rustavi city prosecutors, regional governor and social agency and inform them about my eviction. I asked for alternative accommodation. After the eviction representative of the social agency called me and said my allowance will be suspended because I had changed the residential place,” Temur Maskhulia said.

Humanrights.ge contacted Rustavi City Hall to find out the issue of homeless Temur Maskhulia but they did not answer our questions.

Maskhulia also petitioned to the President of Georgia, Prime-Minister and Parliament Chairman though nobody has replied to him so far.