‘I Demand My Own Flat Back!’

Neighbor’s oven, table, several chairs and a bed-is a short list of the furniture the Baramidzes own. They have lived in the neighbor’s garage since Adjara Regional Division within Frontier Police Department moved them out of the flat.

Neighbors are discussing the Baramidzes’ and their own problems in the garage: nearly ten families face the danger of being moved out of their flats in Khimshiashvili str. 94.

Anzor Baramidze bought the flat from the Russian official for Frontier Unit in March 1991. “I paid 100 000 rubles for three-room flat. It was registered for my name thus I lived with my wife and two children there. I can produce a flat-order given by that time Batumi City Hall Executive Committee. Frontier Police Department has sued me at court since 2002, stating the flat belonged to them. I won the case in the first instance. Supreme Court of Adjara Autonomous Republic also passed verdict in my favor. Then in 2003, Supreme Court of Georgia passed verdict on our moving out."-said Baramidze. 

However, nobody visited the Baramidzes since the verdict was passed. The family thought 'after revolution they seem to have realized the verdict was unfair and dropped it'.

The list of the flats surrendered to the State by the Russian Military Unit does not include Khimshiashvili str. 49 (Mr. Anzor Baramidze's flat). "It is the list of the flats which were surrendered to the state by the Russian Army in 1996 when they left the country,"-said Mr. Anzor Baramidze. "My flat is not in the list is it was not under military balance. The flat was already registered on me. Then Georgian Frontier Police Department set up Georgian list including my flat as well.  If my flat warrant was fraudulent one, why they did not move me out then? Let them take care of those flats which are on the Russian list and now are sold. I am a legal owner of the flat. Though, the City Hall gave me the warrant on the flat, they do not protect their document any more."

Mr. Gela Makharadze, head of the City Hall Legal Service Department stated: "Hence City Hall is not an heir-at-law for the property; we cannot make any decision at all. Georgian Supreme Court discussed the case and decided that the flat should be returned to the Frontier Guard Department. It does not matter what and why had been sold before. The decision must be executed."

They state at the Frontier Police Department that the warrants were drawn up illegally. "Supreme Court has confirmed in its verdict that the flat belongs to the Military Unit and it should be given to military person only. The family was moved out of the flat regarding the Supreme Court Verdict."-Said Mr. Merab Gorgadze, lawyer for the Frontier Police Department.

The Baramidzes have nowhere to go.  Neither Frontier Police Department nor the Batumi City Hall offers them any alternative.

"They treat me illegally. We are forced out in the street. If they do not pay attention to us we will hold demonstrations and block the streets. I will sleep in the street as there is no difference whether I sleep in the street or in this shed."-said Manana Baramidze.

The Baramidzes asked the Authority for help when they visited them during pre-electoral campaign. "I explained our unfair conditions to Mr. Giorgi Baramidze, Mr. Irakli Okruashvili, Mr. Levan Varshalomidze and majority deputies when they met us for pre-electoral campaign. They promised me to elucidate the situation but in vain. I have disabled child of the second group. (Lasha Baramidze has lost right leg in the car crash). He also has Asthma. No Department takes responsibility of our case. Why did they give me a flat warrant and why are they moving me out now? Who will reimburse my expenses?-there is no reply. I demand my flat back!"

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi