“Your Voice in the Parliament” – GYLA Publishes Results of the First Stage of Its Project

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

Unemployment, problems in the healthcare system, education,  roads, social welfare, communal bills, water supply – these are the urgent problems facing the population. The Kutaisi branch of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association published the results of the initial survey within the framework of the project “My Voice in Parliament”.

On September 25, the Public Defender’s Kutaisi office held a meeting. One of the main aims of the project is to include the interests of the voters from Imereti region in the pre-election programs of election candidates. Nongovernmental and media organizations discussed the initial findings of the survey together with the representatives of the political parties.

With the support of the project “My Voice in Parliament” the election participants received detailed information about the needs of the local population. They had the chance to reflect public interests in their election programs.

Only New Rights’ majoritarian candidate Mamuka Mgvdeladze attended the meeting of the invited majoritarian candidates. “It is an interesting meeting; though I think it is a bit late because election posters, booklets and all sorts of information materials were already prepared. The project revealed very significant problems of the people and the situation is much worse than we expected. As for other candidates, I am sorry that they did not come. I think we should at least demonstrate our positive approach to the NGO sector at such a time. Moreover, this project was implemented by GYLA, which is actively working [to expose problems of population and inform decision-makers about them,]” Mamuka Mgvdeladze said.

The New Rights’ majoritarian candidate, who is a member of the Kutaisi City Council, positively evaluated the GYLA’s survey and promised that he would work on the problems revealed at least in the city council, if he fails to join the Parliament of Georgia. “However, ask you to vote for me so I will move on from the city council, because I am sure I will be able to do much more for my native city from the Parliament than from the local government. The government cannot waste 5 million lari on the construction of a fountain whilst 42% of the city's population suffers from a poor water-supply system,” Mamuka Mgvdeladze said.

According to the GYLA’s survey, water-supply, as well as poor drainage system, are some of the main problems facing Kutaisi residents. Locals complain about the irregular drinking-water supply and high tariffs.

“The survey of the GYLA (2010-2012) reflected many urgent problems. It showed that the situation is changing for the worse. People are still complaining about old problems; so nothing has changed. The next government, which our population will elect in a few days, will confront these problems. People will no longer endure living in similar unbearable conditions,” Georgian Dream’s representative Gia Kobaliani told humanrights.ge

GYLA’s project covered all 12 districts of Imereti region and will continue after the elections too.

“After the elections, we will continue cooperation with the elected majoritarian MPs and their offices. We will establish direct links between the population and elected MPs. Memorandums will be signed with the MPs’ offices – we will take on the responsibility of making the population’s problems public; we will provide them with legal consultations too,” Nodar Jikia, program director of the GYLA’s Kutaisi office said.