Roma People Received ID Cards

Successful litigation by the Human Rights House Tbilisi

Nino Kimadze

Lawyer of Human Rights House Tbilisi Eka Kobesashvili provided Roma people living in Navtlugi settlement with free legal aid, who did not have ID cards and could not enjoy social assistance for that reason. With the lawyer’s assistance, birth facts of two citizens were estimated while process is still going on into six more cases. 

“HRHT provides Roma people living in Navtlugi settlement with legal assistance. Majority of them do not have birth certificates. We actively cooperate with the State Services Development Agency and Ministry of Justice,” Eka Kobesashvili said.

According to the lawyer, a person has to take some procedures to get ID card – among them is estimation of the birth fact.

“We invite witnesses who confirm that applicant was really born in Georgia and his/her birth fact is confirmed. Afterwards, status of the person is estimated. If applicant has lived in the territory of Georgia since March 31, 1993, he/she will get Georgian citizenship, but if it is not confirmed, that an applicant gets status of stateless person,” Kobesashvili said.

Lawyer of the HRHT spoke about difficulties of the procedures. She said applicant needs several visits to the House of Justice to estimate birth fact. Roma people are eager to take documents but are reluctant to visit the House of Justice. 

“We met head of the House of Justice and his deputy but they could not change procedures so that applicant Roma people did not need visits to the House of Justice. Roma people do not want to go to the HJ because they do not have time. They want to take IDs but do not want to make some efforts to get them,” the lawyer clarified.

According to Kobesashvili, birth facts were estimated on two persons; one of them received Georgian citizenship and second status of stateless person. Currently, cases of six more applicants are considered. The lawyer clarified that during ongoing procedures the Roma people receive temporary identification cards and ID numbers.