Gonio Residents Are not Allowed to Start Constructions

Reasons Are Still Uncertain

Shakro and Meri Kokoladzes, residents of the village of Goinio in the Khelvachauri District started construction of the hotel several years ago. At the moment there is a comfortable two-storied-house in the yard, though it is not roofed yet. “We have decided to build some more stories on the building. We have prepared project on it but the Administrative Board refused us to start construction until September for uncertain reasons,” said Meri Kokoladze.

Khelvachauri District Administrative Board does not allow the Gonio population to start constructions in the resort zone. Consequently, part of residents have met resort season unprepared. As for Khelvachauri Administrative Board, they state that there is no official decision according to which the construction could be delayed.

“Our land is not disputable. Nobody will complain about it. They told us that issuing of permissions is temporarily delayed. However, they could not tell us exact reasons. In October of 2006 they replied to our application that although the project was perfect, they could not discuss it because of delay in construction,” said Kokoladze.

Like Kokoladzes many other families were refused to start construction in the resort zone. Malkhaz Gogitidze is one of them. I do not have any complaints about my neighbors, but I have been demanding the permission on construction for six years already and they refused me all the time. However, meanwhile many people received permissions and constructed their houses too.”

Gogitidze has been demanding the permission for construction since 2001. Having been unable to obtain legal permission, he started illegal construction. “Administrative Board brought me to book for the construction. However, Kutaisi Appeal Court approved me and charged the local government to satisfy my demands. Afterwards I applied to the Administrative Board to give me a permission to build second floor on it. They have not replied to my appeal yet.”

Goinio residents could not understand whether the construction was delayed by higher governmental bodies or by local authority. Meri Kokoladze said the situation might be caused by prestigious location of the area and somebody’s interests in it.

“We live fifty meters away from the sea. A lot of holiday-makers arrive here; however we cannot place all of them because of small space. In addition to that, the building is not finished and we cannot offer comfort to them. Initially, my husband and then I were visiting the Khelvachauri Administrative Board to resolve our problem during ten months, but in vain. I met Badri Shavlidze, the District Governor and Nugzar Dzneladze, Main Architect of the district. They did not show me any documents at all,” said Meri Kokoladze.

Goinio residents do not exclude the possibility that one day the authority will arrive in the village and evict local people from the territory. They think that the government refuses to give permissions because of that. Local people think that seizure of property is not strange activity for the current government.

Service Department for the Construction and Space Amenities within the Khelvachauri District Government stated that confirmation of projects or issuing permissions on construction is not delayed in the district. “The projects for the constructions at the seaside must be produced together with corresponding sketches. It is our additional demand,” said Zeinab Kakabadze, specialist-in-chief for the Construction and Space Amenities Department. Nugzar Dzneladze, the head of the same department is on a holiday and his telephone is out of coverage area. As for Badril Shavlidze, the governor of the Khelvachauri District, he refuses to comment on the situation because issuing of permissions is not in his competence. 

Emzar Diasamidze, Batumi