Gori District Administration Is Not Eager To Accept Notifications

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

On November 27 Human Rights Center was not allowed to hand in notification at the Gori district administration. The center appeals to the Public Defender with complaint and corresponding evidence.

Those people, including IDPs are others who were victimized as a result of Georgian-Russian war in August 2008, protest showing preferences between people when it comes to the equitable distribution of humanitarian assistance. Zurab Chinchilakashvili, deputy regional governor of Shida Kartli, stated that people who have a shop, car, tractor, access to land and have some of income will not be provided the humanitarian aid.

Everyday more than a handful of people gather in front of the administrative building of the Gori district. Residents of the villages arrive in Gori and start the ordeal of waiting for the regional governor. They often end up in the street for several hours or standing in line in the bureau of permits. Those, who cannot find place in the office of the bureau, are left out in the cold.

Human Rights Center tried to apply to the local authority in written form over the procedures for access of the media and citizens. It has taken exception to both the actions and attitude demonstrated by the governor in his behavior.  The guard of the administrative building demanded the representatives of the Human Rights Center have provided a permit to enter the building.  A person dressed in civil form also assisted the guard and at the journalist’s request to say his name, the latter replied: “Do you wonder who I am? Ok, I will tell you!” he said and struck the photo camera that the journalist from the HR Centre was holding.

The Chancellery of the district administration is located on the second floor of the administrative building though it must be located on the ground floor in order to enable each citizen to leave notifications without any additional delays.

Journalists have same problem regarding the meetings of the municipality boards. The meetings are public and everybody is legally allowed to attend them. However, despite the fact, journalists have to take permits before entering the meeting hall. Consequently, the transparency of the meeting is breached as well and freedom of the media.

The Human Rights Center has video-recording of the incident in the administrative building. The center intends to submit the recording to corresponding organizations to prove that local authority prevents a journalist from being able to carry out his professional activities.