Tbilisi Sakrebulo refused to take refugees' and traders' problems to consideration

At today's session, the deputies of the Tbilisi City Council - Sakrebulo - refused to put the issue to stop eviction of refugees from office buildings in the capital of Georgia and the problem of street traders on their official agenda.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that yesterday, on August 26, a joint protest action of the refugees lately evicted from different office buildings, and the traders, dissatisfied with the ban on street trade, was held near Tbilisi Sakrebulo. The refugees' and traders' problems should have been considered at the today's session.

For almost two hours members of the opposition have helplessly tried to persuade the ruling majority of the Sakrebulo to put the above points on the agenda and make certain decisions.

Tinatin Khidasheli, leader of the Republican Party, said that the Sakrebulo should immediately suspend the eviction process and study the problem in detail. She believes that the government should provide some alternative housing to refugees in the capital.

Touching on the issue of street traders, Ms Khidasheli has noted that these people have earned their bread with hard labour and "it is inadmissible that they are informed about introduction of new rules one day before; in fact they were notified that they would not be able to pick up their livelihood any more."

Mamuka Akhvlediani, deputy chair of the Sakrebulo, has noted that a special working group had been set up to investigate the refugees' and traders' problems in detail and present information to the City Council. This was his explanation of why the Sakrebulo refused to put the above points on today's agenda.