IDPs Demand Right to Life and Electricity

Protest demonstrations are going on in Tskaltubo. IDPs have been standing in the street for three days already, and are not going to give in, until Georgian United Energy Distribution Company supplies them with electricity.

Last week, Georgian United Energy Distribution Company cut five resort houses of electricity for accumulated debt. IDPs, living in the resort house Megobroba, were the demonstrations started. Later, they were joined by IDPs from other resort houses, as well.

Marina Gabunia, a demonstrator say: "We think, that the government makes fun of us. They do not care about us. How do you find cutting the electricity in the middle of winter? Children and old people are doomed to death. Two days ago, an old man froze and died. Nobody knows what will happen in two or three days. Let them tell us whether they punish us because of having committed some crime. We do not demand anything special. We demand electricity and right to life."

Officials from the Energy Distributing Company say that total amount of the electricity bill of IDPs living in the Megobroba is 3,391 GEL.

Teona Geguchadze, Public Relation's Specialist of the Western Branch of the Georgian United Energy Distribution Company says: "The agreement was drawn up between representatives of the resort-house inhabitants, the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation  and the Power Company that the state will grant the IDPs with allowances on electricity of 6 lari in spring and 10 lari in winter. If they use more electricity, they should pay the bill themselves. Because of hard social conditions, these people cannot afford other means of heating and they use only electricity in winter. Thus, their bills are much more than state allowances. However, according to the agreement, they must pay the difference themselves. The total debt of the all five resort houses amounts to 15 126 GEL. Despite holding demonstrations, they will not be supplied with electricity, unless they pay the bill."

IDPs from Tskaltubo are not going to give in. Moreover, they are about to use more severe methods of protest.

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi