Georgia: rights defenders criticize govt's anti-crisis plan

The anti-crisis plan, drafted with the aim to help businesses and residents during the pandemic, fails to support several vulnerable social groups, the Centre for Human Rights Education and Monitoring has stated.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on April 24, Giorgi Gakhariya, the Georgian Prime Minister, announced a plan of economic support of the population and businesses during the pandemic.

According to the plan, in particular, citizens left jobless will receive 200 laris (GEL) (USD 62) monthly during six months; socially disadvantaged people and persons with disabilities – GEL 100 (USD 31). The self-employed citizens will receive a lump sum of GEL 300 (USD 93).

On April 28, the above Centre posted on its website a detailed analysis of the govt's anti-crisis plan and highlighted the weaknesses thereof.

Although the anti-crisis plan covers those informally and self-employed, it disregards several vulnerable groups; therefore, it cannot be treated as comprehensive, the analyses asserts. In particular, the plan says nothing about the homeless.

Besides, the anti-crisis plan covers only certain categories of people with disabilities – only people with grave disabilities and disabled children. "Given the current problems, it is important for the state to support other groups with disabilities that are not covered by the plan," human rights defenders assert.

This article was originally published on the Russian page of 24/7 Internet agency ‘Caucasian Knot’ on April 29, 2020 at 03:12 am MSK. To access the full text of the article, click here.