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Street Traders Protest in front of Georgian Parliament

December 2, 2008

Street merchant held protest demonstration in front of Parliament Hall today on December 2, 2008. The protesters were the clothing merchants from outside Bavshvta Samkaro shopping mall and the Boris Paichadze National Stadium. They have been banned from working and selling clothes for ten days. They are cannot continue their work unless they take part an auction and receive special permission to continue their activities.

Roza Tsakadze, street merchant told news agency Media News that they were ousted from the places they worked on without any explanations and no one has offered them alternative place for work till now.  The protesters say that street trading is their only source of income and now as they can not work they can not earn money. No one even offered to give them any compensation.

The protesters protest against the draft law, according to which people will be able to trade in streets only if they participate in an auction and gain warrant. Street merchants are not allowed to trade in the street until this draft law becomes a law.

Lasha Chkhartishvili, a human rights defender considers that if this draft becomes the law only those companies or people will receive trade warrants that pay the highest price. Consequently, the warrant winners will impose additional taxes on their employers – street traders. Street merchants will not be able to pay high taxes due to their already difficult social conditions and as a result they will lose their job and only source of income.

“We think that this draft law will serve the corrupted interests of the government. The government wants to give trade warrants only to their partners. We agree that the problem of street trading had to be solved but not at the expense of petty street traders. We are demanding that street trading permits be granted to traders individually without any auction. The tax for street merchants must be accessible and must not be changed,” said Lasha Chkhartishvili.

The protesters say that only clothing merchants are banned from trading so far. However, after its adoption, all street merchants will be banned.

The draft law will be discussed by the Parliament of Georgia on autumn session.

Media News

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