Leasing out the territory of the square is protested in Kareli

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

The agenda of the Kareli municipal assembly session was amended. Namely, the municipality city hall decided to temporarily suspend its decision to lease out the 100 sq. meter space in the territory of square in Kareli because of the protest of the local population. Part of the population stated that the town has the only green square and if it is leased out, the green plants will be sacrificed to the commercial interests of the leaser.

“We have only this one square in Kareli and they want to take it from us. I wonder what income the local government will receive from its lease out. Unless they satisfy our request, we will arrive at the central office of the Georgian Dream in Tbilisi and demand not to lease out the square,” Liana Margishvili from Kareli said, who already collected signatures and submitted the petition to the municipal assembly. 

The locals also state that after the territory of the square is leased out, the owner will start cutting of the trees and construct commercial buildings. 

“I live near the square and it is the only place where children play. We spend all days here with our children and grandchildren; how they can seize it from us; they want to sacrifice the interests of the children to somebody’s commercial interests,” Zaira Tsikarishvili said. 

Kareli municipality mayor Zaza Guliashvili said the population is deceived because nobody is taking the square from them; neither trees will be cut down. 

“The population has wrong information as if somebody is cutting down the trees in the square to construct buildings. For that reason, we cancelled the discussion of this case at the session until the agreement is reached with the population. Not a single branch or a tree will be cut in that territory; the leaser plans to arrange an open café in the square,” the mayor said.

Zaza Guliashvili said that he, together with the population, will examine the territory and explain to people what exactly is planned in the area. However, if the population will still protest to lease the square territory out, the city hall will no longer assign the territory to the leaser.