Mayors Change but Hard Life Continues

Maka Malakmadze, Batumi

“Every mayor promised to support us but we still face old problems."

Six-member family has been renting a flat in Ostrovski street N 100 in Batumi for 21 years already. Their accommodation consists of two sheds with faded paint and damaged wallpaper. The shed is covered with blue canvas which protects the accommodation from rain.

“We built this room after our son got married. Now we have one-year-old grandchild who spends most time in the family of his mother because we cannot buy enough food for the child. At least, he would not be hungry there,” said Nazi Ghoghoberidze, the hostess of the family.

There is a sofa in the yard. A brick replaces the back leg of the sofa. There is a wood-stove next to the sofa. The men are collecting the firewood on the seashore. The family cooks food on that stove in summer and in winter.

The family of Ghoghoberidzes is on the list of socially disabled people. During the examination social agent granted them with 21 620 points and the family involved the state program for socially disabled people. Every member of the family is unemployed. Besides social allowance they collect bottles and sell them. There were bottles on wooden shelf ready to sell them to the Lemonade Factory.

In the past, relatives supported the impoverished family but the Ghoghoberidzes are ashamed to bother relatives all the time. Their life is getting worse and they have not paid the rent of the house – 50 GEL for several months already. The owners of the house are generous people: “They sometimes see we are starving and do not demand money from us. We appreciate their generosity but it is a shame not to pay money for so long.”

Recently, several mayors were replaced in Batumi. Every new mayor promised the Ghoghoberidzes to resolve their problem. “Everybody promised to assist us but we still rent the house. They never refuse to grant a house to us. I visit the City Hall every Monday and Tuesday. On Monday I register for the meeting with the Mayor and on Tuesday I go there to meet him. However, my name is hardly announced once in three month,” said Tamaz Ghoghoberidze.

In 2004 head of Accommodation Department of the City Hall reported the Ghoghoberidzes that “your petition is registered and as soon as the accommodation fund has vacant flat you will be sheltered there the first.” However, this day has not come yet and the family still lives in the shed covered by the canvas.

The Human Rights Center could not find the name of Ghoghoberidzes on the list of applicants at the Accommodation Fund of the Batumi City Hall.

“In 2004 Murman Beridze registered us. Then, next Mayor Irakli Tavartkiladze told us “officials from higher instances should order me to assist you; otherwise I cannot.” Current Mayor Robert Chkhaidze initially promised us to give a cottage but the state could not give a land to us but we negotiated and my nephew agreed to allow me to set up the cottage in his yard. When I prepared the document (an extract from the Public Registration Agency, agreement of my nephew on setting up the cottage in the yard) I went to the City Hall for the cottage but the Mayor denied. “Where can I get a cottage from? I could not have promised you that,” the Ghoghoberidzes recall the promises of the Mayors with sorrow.