Georgia: protesting refugee refuse to leave ministry

In Tbilisi, forced migrants are holding an action demanding to provide them with housing. For the whole weekend securities locked ten protesting women in the lobby of the Ministry for Refugees, Labour, Health and Social Affairs.

The protesters demanded to meet Ekaterina Tikaradze, the Minister, but they were told that she was away and would be in Tbilisi only on September 28. In response, the protesters, who stayed in the lobby of the ministry house, refused to leave the building, the women told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

"More than 40 people came to the ministry demanding to solve their resettlement problems. Since 1992, they live in rented apartments or in self-captured buildings. For more than 20 years, their applications are kept in the ministry, but, nevertheless, the problems are not addressed in any way," Kakha Kvekveskiri, a forced migrant from Abkhazia, told the "Caucasian Knot" correspondent.

According to Beso Shengeliya, a member of the "United National Movement" (UNM) Party, this is not the first such action of the refugees who demand housing.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on September 22, 2019 at 03:52 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.