Yards in Tbilisi Are Getting Free from Garages

There was noise in Kazbegi Ave. # 3. Supervision Department of the Tbilisi City Hall is dismantling garages in the yard. Population applied to the Public Defender’s Office for help. They claimed that if ombudsman does not assist them, they will bring suit to the court.

Representatives of the Supervision Department introduced the Tbilisi residents with the resolution of Tbilisi City Hall dated by January 24, 2007 according to which “Tbilisi City Hall concluded that illegal constructions in the areas for common use, in squares, parks, pavements and play-grounds shall be dismantled according to the legislation.’

“Are we human beings or animals? Soon they will force us out from our houses and leave us in the street. They do not care about us at all,” said anxious people who could not help their anger.

Garages were dismantled in parallel with people’s protest. Giorgi Gabichava, representative of the Operative Division within the Supervision City Service Department stated in his conversation with the Human Rights Center that the population cannot produce any official document on the property of garages. “They have neither document from Public Registry nor Cadastre Map; hence the garages are illegally constructed and they must be dismantled.’

Despite Gabechava’s statements, two women showed the documents the Supervision Department demanded. They had both Cadastre Map and note from Public Registry.

“Nobody told me to register my garage at Public Registry. But in 2005 I registered the plot and garage on it. Ten other garages and mine were constructed close to our block of flats in 1959. All garages are marked on Topographic Map. Short time ago we managed to repair our garage but several days ago they told us the garage should be deconstructed,” said Nana Ghlonti.

Gabechava read the documents of the women and comforted them saying their garages might not be deconstructed. However, later he added that the question was not settled yet and as Irakli Kvaratskhelia said, the head of the Vake-Saburtalo District Supervision Department, their garages might also be destroyed.

Human Rights Center conversed with so-called (or virtual) Irakli Kvaratskhelia. Having finished the interview, the man was asked about his exact name and title and he seriously replied he was Irakli Kvaratskhelia. However, later it turned out that the interviewed person was a friend of Kvaratskhelia and the respondent explained his joke as follows: “Does it make any difference for you who will make comments on the fact. Irakli would have told the same.’

Regarding the situation Human Rights Center asked Davit Avaliani, Deputy Head of the Supervision Department within the Tbilisi City Hall, to make comments.

“Deconstruction of garages has been under way in Tbilisi for a year already. Nearly 2000 garages were destroyed so far and all of them were granted to population in 1992-93 by Tbilisi Administrative Board. That time documents clearly stated that the owner of the garage should empty the place as soon as the City authority demands them to. Tbilisi Supervision Department is the legal inheritor of the Administrative Board and it carries out deconstruction activities legally. Although population was to destroy their garages at their own expenses, we assist them and empty the area from garages for free,” said Davit Avaliani.

Official from the City Hall added that their department will treat each case individually. “We will survey the conditions of all residents and if they have registered the garage legally we will not destroy them. Generally, it is not very nice to see even one garage in the yard but if it is private property we will not touch it. One point is that owners should repair their old garages,” said Avaliani.

According to the Deputy Head of the Supervision City Service, the area will be reconstructed. “Reconstruction works are implemented in the next yard. Similar works will start here too. The residents of these blocks of flats will decide what to build in their yard; some of them want stadium, others want a play-ground and a square. The yard will be reconstructed according to their wish,” stated Davit Avaliani.

Special car-park will be constructed for those people whose garages were destroyed.

Population said that they would have only one way out-to spend sleepless nights at windows watching at their cars.

  Nino Tarkhnishvili, Tbilisi