Court offers the parties to reach agreement

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

Lizi Kazishvili, who was sacked from the LEPL Culture Center of the Gori Municipality Administration in May 2017, believes that she was victim of political discrimination. Kazishvili is member of the Gori organization of the political party Free Democrats and states that she was fired because of her political activities. However, the director of the culture center claims Kazishvili was dismissed as a result of reorganization in the center. 

Kazishvili appealed the decision of the culture center to dismiss her from the position of the head of education unit in the court. The judge offered the parties to reach agreement during the very first hearing of the case. 

The trial scheduled on February 16, 2018 was again postponed with the aim to reach agreement between the parties. Gori district court judge Maya Kutkhashvili again suggested the parties to reach agreement. Lawyer of the Culture and Tourism Development Agency offered Lizi Kazishvili to sign three-month labor contract but after the latter refused, the lawyer offered 9-month labor contract. Kazishvili requested time to consider the offer and the court postponed the hearing.

Having left the courtroom, Lizi Kazishvili told humanrights.ge that the offered labor contracts are not relevant to her previous position in the center.

“The judge again postponed the trial because I want to be restored to my previous position in the center. If they restore me to the old position, I will not claim the salary of the missed months as a compensation,” Kazishvili said. 

“We offered her 9-month labor contract on the position of the coordinator in the children and youth center, which is adequate to her old position. Lizi Kazishvili asked to give her time for consideration and the trial was postponed,” the lawyer of the Culture and Tourism Development Agency Giorgi Tsabadze said, who added that Kazishvili was dismissed from the center 9 months ago because of reorganization. 

Chairperson of the Gori organization of the Free Democrats Tamar Kekenadze has different position, who also attended the hearing of her party-member’s trial in the Gori district court.

“Liza Kazishvili was sacked only for one reason – politically motivated discrimination. She represents Free Democrats in Gori and unfortunately the Georgian Dream could not stand her critical views. We are fighting legally to restore her to the old position,” Tamar Kekenadze said.

The next hearing into the case will be held in Gori district court on February 27. The decision of the head of the agency about the applicant’s claim will become clear at the next hearing.