In Batumi Mini-Buses Were Deprived of Drivers

Maka Malakmadze

In Adjara, patrol police deprived the drivers of mini-buses of their driving licenses. The “punished” drivers transported people to Tbilisi to take part in protest demonstrations. The drivers of the mini-buses that served people to join the demonstration on April 9 also were deprived of their driving licenses. The drivers reported to a journalist for the Human Rights Center that patrol policemen cannot explain to them the reason for their activities.

“Everything is in order; you are punished because yesterday you attended the demonstration;” “you should be deprived of your driving license;” “we do not know, you should visit the patrol station and Temur Paghava will explain to you everything to you.”These are the only replies the drivers received.

The Human Rights Center spoke about the situation with Jony Bakuridze, head of the Patrol Police Department of Adjara Autonomous Republic, and his deputy. Bakuridze stated the patrol policemen are non-professionals and they will find out everything. Bakuradze claimed the “punished” drivers had breached some rules.

On April 9 a former prime-minister of Georgia organized a demonstration in front of the Batumi Dramatic Theater. On April 10 drivers who took part in the demonstration were deprived of their cars by policemen. Law enforcers could not explain to the drivers the reason for the deprivation.

Next day, from 10: 00 am to 2:00 pm, more than 20 drivers applied to the Batumi office of Public Defender of Georgia and to the Human Rights Center. However, only one of them had a protocol on administrative violation that was drawn up by patrol policemen. On April 11 most of them received fine protocols for various violations.

Gocha Trapaidze, driver of Kobuleti-Batumi itinerary: “I was driving from Kobuleti to Batumi. Patrol police stopped me on the way. I showed them my documents and everything was in order. However, they deprived me of the car and took it away without having explained anything. They only said they were carrying out their orders and we could find out the situation at the patrol station.”

Mindia Takidze, driver: “On April 9 I took people to the demonstration. Next day, patrol police stopped me; they could not find any violation on me. Finally, they blamed me I had not registered the state number. The law enforcers deprived the car from me and took it away. I only have key and documents on my car.”

Akaki Makharadze, driver of the mini-bus N1 in Kobuleti (state number BAF 840): “On the day of demonstration the mini-bus I was driving I was standing on the highway to Bobokvati and demonstrators were getting on my bus. Levan Gugunava, head of transport enterprise, approached me and ordered me to force people out of the bus and not to go to Batumi. He said he would pay for the canceled itinerary. Next day, a patrol stopped me and gave me a fine of 10 GEL.”

Khusa Gogitidze, driver of a car with state number FAB 505: “They deprived me of my car today close to the Khintrishi Bridge. I did not have documents on me but they did not give me enough time to show any documents. In private talks they told me I was punished for having taken part in the demonstration.”

Romeo Ananidze (driver of mini-bus 164): “I was told I had problems with my driving license. But when they checked it was in order. If I had had some problems with my driving license they should not have returned it to me on April 8.”

Vazha Kokobinadze (CEC 178), working on the itinerary to the village of Erge: “I have everything in order but they took the mini-bus from me. Yesterday, I was at the demonstration; I took people there. Today I was working as usual but the patrol police stopped me and made passengers get off the bus.”

On April 10, representatives of the Human Rights Center and Batumi office of the Public Defender of Georgia were at the parking lot for cars that have been subject to a penalty.. Nodar Gorgiladze, watchman of the parking lot stated that on that day police brought 10 mini-buses to their parking lot on that day.  Drivers claim their cars were not taken to that penalty parking lot but to the so-called “car –market” in Khopa. The watchman of the market stated that employees of the penalty parking lot had requested him to keep the cars in his area because they could not find enough place in penalty parking lot for mini-buses. Nevertheless, there was enough space for all in the penalty parking lot.

Giorgi Charkviani, a representative of the Batumi office of Public Defender stated that every driver who has applied to their office will be interviewed and Sozar Subari, public defender of Georgia will assess the facts.