Prohibition of the unsanctioned trading counters alongside the central motorway is postponed

Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

There are many unsanctioned mini- markets (so called bazars) alongside the central motor-ways in Georgia; residents of nearby villages sell their agricultural products there. In Shida Kartli region part of the motorway one can buy sweet cakes, hammocks, fruit and vegetable. 

When travelling through Shida Kartli region, you can see many fruit and vegetable counters alongside the motorway. The counters are handmade and no sanitary-hygiene or security norms are followed by traders. Some car-accidents near the counters ended in casualty. 

Kareli municipality governor Zaza Guliashvili said the patrol police and transport department decided to ban trading alongside the central motorway because of increased number of car accidents. However, the governor added that the municipality administration petitioned to the Ministries to take hard social conditions of the residents of nearby villages, who trade on the motorways, into consideration and let them continue trading for some time. 

“The Ministries took our and local people’s petition into consideration and the traders were not expelled from the area,” Zaza Guliashvili said during the opening of the Complex of Agriculture Market on the Rusisi village part of Tbilisi-Senaki-Leselidze highway. The complex was constructed by the association ATU with financial support of the Cartu Foundation. The latter assigned the complex to the Kareli municipality administration for free.

There are three pavilions in the complex; two of them are located in the north of the highway but not yet finished for exploitation. As for the southern part of the complex, the municipality plans to open it on November 17.

Executive director of ATU Niko Chkhetiani said there are several open markets in Shida Kartli, where safety norms are not followed. As for the Ruisi pavilion, it meets all standards.

“There are several fruit markets in Shida Kartli part of the highway, where safety norms are not followed that causes frequent car-accidents in the area. This complex meets all standards including safety and comfort norms. It is supplied with water, electricity and has restrooms. The complex is adapted for wheel-users,” Chkhetiani said. 

Otar Baramashvili has been trading on the highway close to Ruisi village for years. He likes the new trading complex but said he cannot go there to trade because he will have to pay fee for the trading place.

“It is the only income for my family. I have a loan in the bank. I cannot afford other fees because I do not pay here anything. Even if I decide to move there, it will not room all of us,” Otar Baramashvili said.

Up to hundred trading counters will be located in the pavilions of the agricultural market. The parking lot will place 70 cars. Kareli municipality governor said he cannot force anybody to move there. The administration has not yet fixed fees for traders.

“The administration has already discussed how to distribute the trading counters fairly. This pavilion is not only for Ruisi and Urbnisi village residents. Entire municipality population can use it if they wish,” Zaza Guliashvili said.

Part of traders has already started selection of counters in the pavilions; they hope the administration will fix affordable fees for the counters.