Breach of Law in the Passport Department of Kakheti

Breach of Law in the Passport Department of Kakheti

The inhabitants of Kakheti have problems with getting their passports. The Telavi Passport Department, which is responsible for issuing international passports to the whole region, has been breaking the law. Kakhetians are not able to obtain their passports within 5 working days, as provided for in the relevant legislation. The ID Cards Department and the Passport Department were situated in different buildings, which made things even more complicated. According to the latest news though, this situation has changed and the two bodies currently are in the same building.

The Telavi Passport Department is too slow in issuing passports. Inhabitants of the whole Kakheti region are not able to get their documents in 5 working days. Ex-chief of the Telavi Passport Department Ketevan Gomelauri explains the reason for the delay as follows: “We send the papers to the Ministry of Internal Affairs and wait for the Statement of Commendation for five days. The Ministry is always late in replying”. On this the Ministry rebuts as follows: “The Passport Department has the right to issue the documents without any Statement of Commendation. The statement has to be sent to the departments on very special occasions only.”

The one Passport Department which is serving the inhabitants of the whole region is situated in Telavi. Before 2005, the Passport Department was operating in Gurdjaani, after which it was moved to Telavi. The interim chief of the Department is Ketevan Gomelauri. She was accepted to this position after personal statements and thorough examination. The whole staff of the Passport Department was “interim” before September. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice sent 12 interns to work in the Department for 1 month.

The reorganization process of the Telavi Passport Department started in September 2005. Part of the staff was fired and the interns occupied the vacant places. The chief of the Department was also changed; Ketevan Gomelauri was put to the position of the chief’s advisor.

Also due of the reorganization, the International Passport Department and ID Cards Department were moved to the same building. The Body of the Civil Acts Registration was also added to the department. Inhabitants hope that the reorganization in the Departments not only affects members of the staff, but also will help Kakhetians to get their passports in time.

Eka Datunashvili