IDPs Settled in Poti Feel Themselves Deceived

Inga Gvasalia, Samegrelo

A new settlement of IDPs appeared in Maltakva district, Poti several months ago. More than 800 IDP families from Abkhazia were resettled there from various regions of Georgia. The IDPs faced many problems in the new place soon after the settlement.

Unfinished and poorly done rehabilitation of the buildings created new problems for IDPs – the walls are cracked and floors are damaged and removed in several places. The new-settlers got astonished after the Electricity Distribution Company “Energo Pro Georgia” imposed 30-GEL bill on them. Unless they paid the bills, the company threatened them with cutting off the supply and they kept their promise. The IDPs complain about unfair and discriminatory tax on water-supply too. The new district is supplied with water only once a day during 4 hours from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm. The IDPs allege the tariff they pay does not comply with the amount of water they use during four hours.

The new-settlers were looking forward to the President’s visit. They hoped the visit could change something for them but in vain. The new settlers said their situation worsened after the president’s visit.

Tsiuri Mamardashvili lives alone on her allowance as an IDP – 22 GEL and 30-GEL allowance as a lonely person: “I am a disabled person of the second group. My only son died during the war. Abolishment of 6-GEL allowance for communal bills created serious problems for us. For example, this month I paid 3, 85 GEL. I buy gas for 13-14 GEL every month; bills are unfairly imposed. Three-member families pay 5 GEL on water; some of them pay even less and it is incredible. I economically use electricity; I switch on only TV-set and a bulb to save electricity. Everybody lives so here. The basements are full of water and construction materials.”

Lia, 45, is also a new settler. She complains about irresponsible treatment of people. “When I moved in here, the bathroom was not finished yet. I hired artisans. We pay communal bills but cannot get equal service. They cut off electricity supply during hours and when we call, they rudely answer – why did you wake us up? Meaning it is not their responsibility. Who can explain us how fair it was to pay preliminarily imposed electricity bills?

Mamuka Mosiava, an IDP:  “After we moved in here, all allowances on communal bills were abolished. However, many IDPs have not notified about their removal and nobody knows where their allowances are allocated now. As soon as we moved in here, the electricity distribution company made us to pay 30 GEL as a deposit. The water is supplied according to schedules. The rehabilitation works are done poorly. How can water leak into metal-plastic window frames? They should not have abolished our allowances at least for one year before people gets adapted to the new environment. Somebody “senior” thinks we became richer by settling here. Only once during recent four months they distributed 5 kilos of sugar and 5 kilos of salt and IDPs were called to the auto-station to get them. Nobody cared that many of us even could not pay travel fees to get there. One family receives one allowance under one number. But as for communal bills, the families are divided and they have to pay double bills; that is unfair. The yards are not rehabilitated. Children do not have play-grounds. Rubbish bins are not enough. We have neither pharmacy nor grocery nearby though both of them are necessary. It will be nice if those people received preferential credits to start their own business.”

Sveta Kolbaia from Gali district is not satisfied with the space. “Five people live in two rooms. I have sent a petition and I wonder whether they will change anything. We moved in here from Zugdidi. There we lived in a large space. We are satisfied with the living conditions here but the space is too small and that’s why I do not like it.”

Irma Basaria and Ema Gitolendia from Ochamchire are satisfied with the accommodation but they complain about unemployment because they cannot earn their living. Margusha Gvalia from Sokhumi also complains. “We lived in a building of a kindergarten in Chkhorotsku. We had cattle, hens and never complained about food. After we settled here, they made us to sell everything. There we had a garden too and could grow vegetables there. Although they gave us a flat here, how can we earn our living here? I am a sick woman; everything is poorly done in this flat. The parquet was removed and we had to pave it again. The inside door cannot be closed. Water-tap does not work in the bathroom and in general, I am very dissatisfied. What shall we do here? Nobody cares how we can earn our living here.”

Tsitsino Kalandia from Gulripshi district also complains.”Everything was done poorly. The flat is damp and rain is leaking through the window. I am a retired person and cannot repair anything. I have a son and three grandchildren; we had to live in one room that is not enough. How can so many people live in such a little space? So, my people remained in Tskaltubo because there is not enough place for everybody here. They abolished my medical policy. There is no heating. How can I live in this damp flat? There, we had a wood-stove there and it was better. I am a hair-dresser. Let them find a job for me and I will take care of myself.”

Parquet is damaged in the flat of Nani Berulava from Sokhumi. “Is it a flat? I have been operated on three times and now I am going to cancer-center for treatment. I have nothing. They settled us here! Seven people live in two rooms. The living conditions are terrible. The façade of the building is beautiful but it is horrible inside.”

The new-settler IDPs complain about the delay in registering their flats and unemployment. As we found out, the state is not going to register the flats within next one year. The Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Refugees and Accommodation decided to give one year to IDPs to integrate into a new social environment and only afterwards they will start registration process.

Much time is left before gasification process of the IDP settlement will start. Impoverished and unemployed IDPs will have to warm their flats by electricity ovens in winter that will be too expensive for them. Relatively, most new-settlers remained without electricity and without heating because of unpaid bills. Almost every IDP family has equal complaints in the new settlement. Nobody promises them to resolve their problems. Even more, nobody hurries to register their flats on them either.

We asked several questions to the Minister of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Refugees and Accommodation Koba Subeliani when he was standing among IDPs and patiently avoided to answer their questions.

-Mr. Koba, the parquet is already removed in the flats; accommodations were poorly renovated…

-The EU was monitoring the project. As for dampness, it is general problem of the Western Georgia. The Building Company is obliged to improve reconstruction errors. The point is that the people, who were settled here, were removed from damaged buildings and it was our priority. They lived in poorest conditions. Part of IDPs had their accommodations registered. The IDPs, whose previous accommodations were in poor conditions, were resettled to Poti. Their main problem here is unemployment. This problem cannot be resolved immediately, but we will assist them eventually.

-How will the IDPs warm their flats here?

-Early in January the settlement will be supplied with gas. Before that, gasification of the buildings will be finished. We hope, we will manage to do it on time. However, they have electricity and they should somehow manage to warm the flats with it. Four years ago, it was impossible to imagine what you see now. We overcame many difficulties and we will do much more in future too. All shortcomings will be eradicated. We might make mistakes during reconstruction of our own houses. Relatively, such a huge project could not end without mistakes; though everything can be improved. When they return to Abkhazia, these houses will be kind of dividend for IDPs. They will have some property by that time.