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Lonely Old Woman Was Deprived from Allowance

January 20, 2009

  Lonely person
Lonely person, Siranush Aivanian has been registered in the data base of socially excluded families and received allowance until September 2008. She lost the allowance because the rating points on her family were increased. Although the evaluation system was changed two months latter and minimum level of rating points was reduced, Siranush Aivazian does not get her allowance. The administration of the Agency of Social Subsidies in Adjara Autonomous Republic defines that Aivazian will receive the allowance after March 1 2009.

“What shall I live on until March 1?” asked the old woman who showed her certificate of the registration in the data base of socially excluded families. March 1, 2009 is marked in pencil on the certificate. She does not receive 22 GEL that is envisaged for a lonely person.

Siranush Aivazian (family identification code 110115300071) has not received allowance since September 2008. She cannot receive the allowance for lonely person either. According to the law a citizen, who is lonely person and registered in the data base of socially excluded people shall not receive two allowances together. Siranush Aivazian preferred the allowance for the socially excluded families because it was 8 GEL more than for lonely person. “How could I imagine that I would receive such a high rating points while evaluation of my family. You also see what property I have.” 

The old woman lives in King Parnavaz Street # 47 in Batumi. She lives in a two-room cottage that does not belong to her; however, the owner does not demand her to pay rent for the accommodation because of social conditions of the boarder. Family of Aivazian was evaluated twice last year after allowance was assigned to her; first it was on August 29, 2008 and then two months later, on November 13, 2008. As a result of the evaluation on August 29 the social-economical conditions of Aivazian’s family were assessed with 68 200 points that was much more than initial rating points of 39 660. Rating limit of the socially excluded families estimated by the Georgian authority is 57 000. Consequently, Aivazian could not receive the allowance since September 2008.

“I have not purchased anything; I could not afford to buy anything. Anyway, they granted high points to me; but you can witness what property I have in fact. So, I petitioned for the repeated evaluation,” said the old woman.

Repeated evaluation was held on November 13, 2008, two months later. In this case, the family received only 46 370 points.

The Human Rights Center requested the Agency for Social Subsidies of Adjara Autonomous republic the copies of the declarations on Aivazian’s family that were drawn up on August 29, 2008 and November 13, 2008.

While comparing the two declarations there are figures in the early document that are not mentioned in the November declaration at all. More precisely, August declaration states: 600 GEL for medical assistance and medicines; 600 GEL as assistance from relatives and acquaintances residing in Georgia; refrigerator produced during Soviet Union. However, declaration drawn up in November has zeros in the same boxes; as for refrigerator, it is not mentioned in the second declaration at all.

The declarations were filled in by different agents. Luiza Palavandishvili was agent on August 29, 2008 and Archil Kamadadze on November 13, 2008.

Nodar Putkaradze, the director of the Batumi branch of the Agency for Social Subsidies, calls the fact as “change of rating points”. It is interesting how the social conditions of the lonely old woman could be changed within two months so that the rating points doubles.

“I have same property as I had in 2006. I have 60-year-old cupboard, 50-year-old fridge and wardrobe that I bought in 1980s after playing lottery with my neighbors,” said the old woman. Eighty-year-old woman, who has never been assisted from relatives or government, is assisted by neighbors with fire-wood and other sources.

It is not certain whether Siranush Aivazian will receive allowances of the missed months from September 2008 to March 2009. Nodar Putkaradze stated that this issue has been raised at the Agency for Social Subsidies of Adjara Autonomous Republic.

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