The Address of the NGOs to the Parliament of Georgia

As it is known to the public, on December 25, 2014, the parliament of Georgia has expressed its support towards creation of the temporary investigative commission under the parliament to examine the events relating to the Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani mine. The commission was tasked to examine the actions of the officials of the Ministry of Culture and Monument Protection of Georgia, as well as the National Agency of the Culture Protection, relating to Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani (among others, to examine the decision to strip the site of its status and the issue of conducting mining works by the company “RMG Gold” at the territory of the site).

 According to the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Georgia, following the support to create the temporary investigative commission, the parliamentary committee of the procedural issues and rules defines the quotas of proportional representation in the commission, which is later confirmed by the parliamentary bureau. Following the nomination of the candidates for the membership of the temporary investigative commission, the project of creation of the temporary investigative commission is subject to voting.

 

According to the information available to us, not all of the relevant subjects have fully nominated their candidates for the membership at the temporary investigative commission. This circumstance significantly decreases the possibility of creation of the temporary investigative commission and the decision-making on the Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani.

 

We call upon all of the parliamentary factions to respect the decision of the parliament of Georgia, for the purpose of creation of the above temporary investigative commission, to demonstrate their higher civil and political responsibility and to nominate the candidates for the membership of the temporary investigative commission.

 

At the same time, we express our willingness to actively cooperate with the parliament’s temporary investigative commission and provide it with all of the official information available to us, which relates to Sakdrisi-Kachaghiani and which is of utmost importance for making an impartial decision on the issue. 

 

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association (GYLA)

Open Society Georgia Foundation (OSGF)

Association Green Alternative 

Eastern Partnership Arts and Culture Council 

Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI)

Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC)

Human Rights Education and Monitoring Center (EMC)