Decadence of the Country

Borjomi population is concerned about increased price on gas. Despite their income from the resort season, local people complain about poor living conditions. “We will not be able to pay increased bills on gas,” they say.

Only Borjomi is supplied with gas in Samtskhe-Javekheti Region. Representatives of the Borjomi Gas Department said that final decision on increased bill on gas was made on April 25 at the Municipality meeting. Instead of previous 39, 8 tetri subscribers will have to pay 51 tetri.

Local people say that they will not be able to pay the bills at all.

“It will not be exaggeration of my situation if I say that I am shocked. If you mention only ten tetri, you will say that there is nothing terrifying in the figure, but finally it goes up to quite a large bill. Electricity bill, prices on food have also increased and our salaries have remained on the same level in parallel to it. It is a resort town and everybody tries to maintain beautiful sight of the town. The population avoids using wood stoves in order not to smoke walls. We use gas to warm our houses. Hence, we will have to cut forest to get fire wood. Winter lasts five months here and what else can we do? We will not afford to pay increased gas bill at all,” said Nazi Javakhadze, a resident of Borjomi.

“When I watch TV, subjects on impoverished people are broadcast permanently. Somebody dies of hunger, others stay in the street because their house pulled down and the government raises the taxes on everything. Although population is main subscriber of the gas, nobody cares about poor people at all. Demands should meet our abilities. Not only should my salary but even money-machine not afford to pay such a lot of bills,” said Leila Gogoladze, a resident of the resort town in astonishment.

“I lived abroad for several years to keep my family and I know how much bills people pay in foreign countries. I know that our taxes seem too ridiculous in comparison to their taxes but people have high salaries in the west and can afford to pay their bills. As for Georgia, our country is developing backward. Such situation is unlikely to bring much profit to us. Let us wait for better future together if it ever arrives,” said Giuli Kapanadze, a local resident, who added that “The government likes demonstrations and is keen on irritating people. None of governmental officials seem ever watch TV; if they did, they should have got worried at seeing terrified faces of poor people. The government should not have raised taxes when social situation is so poor in the country.”

Residents of the resort town doubt that price on propane will rise too. Other districts of the Samtskhe-Javakheti region use only propane. Vano Gelashvili, Deputy Representative of the President to the Region speaks about the poor social conditions in Samtskhe-Javakheti. He is a resident of Borjomi too. He does not exclude possibility that the population would steal gas.

Representatives of the Borjomi Gas Department state that “Itera Georgia” intends to change gas meters too. The population will have to pay the price of new meters gradually. Nugzar Bakuradze, an engineer for the department said that “Itera Georgia” is investing money in new meters and population will have to pay only extra 2 tetri during three years.

Gulo Kokhodze, Borjomi