Corruption Connected to Avian Bird Flu on Georgia-Azerbaijan Border

Corruption Connected to Avian Bird Flu on Georgia-Azerbaijan Border

The death of birds in the Kakheti region fuels concern among the public. In Baisubani, a village situated near the Georgia-Azerbaijan border, the Bozjadze family was waiting for representatives of the bird flu fighting regional department because of chicken death. No one appeared the whole day though. Fear is on the increase due to insufficient implementation of disinfection measures and prevention works against outbreak of the virus and corruptive elements connected to the fight against avian bird flu.

Bird deaths have become a common issue in different villages of the Signagi, Telavi, Gurjaani and Lagosdekhi regions. According to the head of the bird flu fighting department in Gurjaani, the reason for the bird deaths are a manifold different diseases.

Shalva Petriashvili, head of the bird flue-fighting department in Gurjaani, states that the virus has not yet been fixed in the region. “The chicken that died in Gurjaani were examined. At the moment, I can tell you that they were poisoned but we still continue working on the issue”- says Petriashvili.

Inhabitants fear that the chicken that died in Lagodekhi had the symptoms of bird flu. Although vets in the bird flu department of Gurjaani do not express their doubts officially, they admit in private conversation that it is difficult to diagnose the exact reason for the chicken deaths. 

It should also be mentioned that, in order to combat viruses, the hunt on wild and migratory birds is strictly forbidden according to an order issued by the Minister of Environment protection and natural resources Giorgi Papunashvili. Hunters nevertheless still continue shooting. “We are the members of hunters’ union and we have a permit for this”- says the hunters in Chiatura forest.

Citizens are especially irritated by the situation on the Georgia-Azerbaijan border. No car is allowed to cross the border unless the driver pays money to representatives from the vet department for the implementation of disinfection works against the virus. “The Ministry of Health constantly claims that all the necessary works against bird flu are free of charge for the people. However, the price of disinfection of vehicles varies from four to twelve lari and sometimes even more. Representatives from the vet services say that it is a new law and people should pay the money. In case we disobey, they do not allow us to cross the border. They follow neither instruction nor rules. They are not implementing the works in a professional way and pay no attention to the people”- says the bus driver Firuz Maisuradze.

Gemal Kusiani, representative of the border- transportation vet services department, does not deny the mentioned facts. According to him, money payment for the vehicle disinfection by the drivers is regulated by May 7 th, 2003 law. According to it, the tariff for a car is 3.0 lari, minibus- 5.60 lari, bus- 9.60 lari and vehicles from Turkey -12 lari.

 Thus, corruption connected to bird flu is obvious as the tariff and the sum people pay does not coincide. Concerned people threaten with strikes and demonstrations if they are forced to pay extra money.

According to unofficial information, another case of bird flu occurred in Erisimedi (Signagi region) and Samtatskaro (Dedoplistskaro region).

Gela Mtivlishvili from Kakheti