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Ministry of Economic Developement Sells Private Property in Gori!

October 10, 2007

 

The Georgian Ministry of Economic Development and the Shida Kartli Regional Administration have quite different attitudes towards the Gori Agricultural Market. Lado Gegelashvili, the Regional Gubernator, stated that he would investigate the situation regarding the market and find out who is guilty and who is not. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Economic Development has announced the sale of the market for the third time. However, a former owner of the market, Jemal Tsiklauri, claimed that the market is his property and former Gubernator, Mikheil Kareli, seized it from him. Consequently, the Administrative Board illegally registered it as state property.

Lado Gegelashvili stated during his meeting with NGO’s that he would investigate the situation concerning the market. By this he meant he would investigate the legality of the privatization of the market in 1995, as well as Mikheil Kareli’s activities.  

Lado Gegelashvili, the Gubernator: “We will investigate all issues. Our predecessor had different work methods. You must never resolve problems through oppression. If somebody feels that s/he suffered a loss of property during the time Kareli was in office, we will look into that case. But, we will also examine the legality of how the “oppressed” owners came into possession of those properties. For example we will investigate the situation regarding the Gori Market.”

Nevertheless, the Ministry of Economic Development did not wait for the conclusion of the investigation of the Gubernator and announced an auction on Jemal Tsiklauri’s market without any examination of the facts.

The Ministry of Economic Development announced a similar auction on 9 August 2007, but because local public officials, who wanted to purchase the market, were detained some time later (on 12 September ) the auction never took place. The initial price of the market was 700.000 USD.

According to legislation, in the case of a repeated auction, the initial price of the product up for sale must be reduced in half; however the price of the market did not drop.

Jemal Tsiklauri still claims that the market belongs to him and that Mikheil Kareli seized it from him. When Jemal Tsiklauri purchased the market for 101.000 lari in 1995, Ilia Agdgomelashvili was the director of the market. Before Jemal Tsiklauri purchased the market, the market staff wanted to buy it directly from the director, but Ilia Agdgomelashvili claims that he was deceived and the market was sold to a strange person, Jemal Tsiklauri.

The Gori office of the Human Rights Center got in touch with Ilia Agdgomelashvili, who is satisfied with the decision of the current Gubernator, Lado Gegelashvili.

“Both Jemal Tsiklauri and Mikheil Kareli are guilty to me. I have all documents that prove how they got a hold of the market in 1995. I appreciate the position of the current Gubernator,” said Aghdgomelashvili.

As it became clear, in 1995 Mikheil Kareli got in touch with Aghdgomelashvili and asked his assistance in the privatization of the market. However, Kareli later changed his mind and decided to seize the market. Consequently, Tsiklauri was arrested and then forced to sign a document on the transfer of the property. The document states that Tsiklauri signed the market over to the state. The former owner of the market was released from prison after he signed.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

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