Zegduleti villager released in Georgia

The confrontation of Zegduleti villagers and local authorities continues. After interference of Irakli Alasaniya, activist of the "Free Democrats" Party, Roman Aladze, a resident of the village, detained in the morning, was released.

It was reported earlier that one peasant suffered and several more were detained by the police after clashes between the police and residents of the village of Zegduleti, Gori District of Georgia, located on the border with South Ossetia. The incident was caused by the fact that local lands used as pastures were sold to some Indian investor.

Earlier the land belonged to the village and was used for feeding livestock. About a week ago, the villagers were prohibited to pasture their cattle; and today Indians began tilling the land; and it caused villagers' protest.

Policemen were called to the venue and confronted the villagers.

Saba Tsitsikashvili, a journalist from Gori, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent by phone that this was not for the first time that villagers protest against alienation of their land. A similar situation is in neighbouring villages, where land is also taken away without notice.

According to the journalist, for about 16 years villagers demand from the state to sell the land to them, but they are rejected.

At the moment, the Indians have suspended their work; while local authorities refrain from comments until the situation is clarified.

As stated earlier by the spokesman of the regional administration of Shida Kartli, the disputed pastures are agricultural lands, disposed by the Ministry of Economy of Georgia. According to his story, the pastures were alienated four years ago without any involvement of local authorities, the "InterPressNews" reports.

The regional administration explained that a couple of days ago David Khmiadashvili, Governor of Gori District, had a meeting with villagers. Under his recommendation locals wrote an application to the head of the Ministry of Economy and requested the documentation associated with alienation of these lands.