Famous People Will Vanish After Taxes

“Tbilisi for Tbilisi dwellers, Sighnaghi for Sighnaghi dwellers, Mtskheta for Mtskheta dwellers and Georgia without its famous people,” it is the upcoming output of the initiative prepared by the Minister of Culture, Giorgi Gabashvili as Georgian population considers. Gabashvili introduced the Georgian Parliament with the initiative.

According to the draft law on “Cultural Heritage”, which was discussed at the parliament session once, residents of the old and historical districts of Georgia should pay special monthly tax. The tax will be estimated for each square meter of the accommodation and it cannot be more than three lari for a square meter. Thus, a person who owns more than 100 sq. meters will have to pay at least 300 lari a month.

The innovations envisage the whole Georgia including the towns that are considered to be historical. Those are Mtskheta, Sighnaghi, etc. It is also interesting that the initial variant of the draft law demanded to deprive those people of the property who lived in historical building that has cultural status. According to previous draft law the owners failed to take care of their property. Finally, the Ministry of Culture made a decision on introduction of taxes.

According to the draft law, the owner of the building should pay the charges in the period of rehabilitation. If the total charge for a square meter is three lari, it means that in less prestigious districts people should pay one lari. Unless the owner pays the tax s/he would be fined with large sum.

The initiative is categorically offensive for the population for one simple reason-they cannot afford to pay such taxes. Actually, mainly old and famous people live in historical districts. These people have no more income than their pension.

Being taxed means to sell their houses and move to suburbs for them; the process already started long before.

Human Rights Center interviewed some people who live in historical districts. Their opinions are equal. “Our government’s activities are incredible. Initially they rejected famous people and do not care about us. Now they force us out of our houses where our predecessors lived in. This draft law aims at our eviction from our houses and nothing more. Those districts are considered to be historical because famous and prominent people live there and they grant those areas with that status. If there are not those people, rich Tbilisi dwellers and foreigners will get hold of our houses and it won’t be any history there. I am ashamed to say that we, prominent people are hungry and authority turned us into beggars. We cannot buy even a medicine and how should we pay 100 or 200 lari a month?” it is the opinion of the people who live in one of the historical districts of Tbilisi.

The population thinks that the initiative was prepared to get hold of old districts. They also added that this process has started long before. “It is too easy to find out how old Tbilisi dwellers live and what their abilities are. Let them walk round the historical districts and watch at houses. Windows are covered with cellophanes instead of the glass; there are only shabby curtains on the windows, rusty gates, etc.  How can such people pay 100 lari a month? Many famous people sold their houses because of poor life and moved to other districts. Their places were occupied by foreigners. This process is going on and it has become the reason to draw up a new draft law. Only few of famous houses have remained unsold in the historical Sighnaghi. That town is completely occupied by foreigners. I will never sell my house even if they kill me,” said Mr. Otia, Tbilisi dweller.

Both parliamentary and non-parliamentary opposition categorically oppose the three-lari-tax. They say that the maximum amount of the tax should be fifty tetri for a square meter. MP Zurab Tkemaladze said that only rich people and foreigners will remain in historical districts of towns. “Some families might have to pay 300-400 lari a month and it is not right. People cannot pay the money. If they were so rich they would have reconstructed their houses long before. We think the tax should not be more than fifty tetri for a square meter; though many people might not be able to pay that sum wither.”

Labor Party has already appealed against the initiative at the court. Representatives of the Republican Party agree with that appeal too. Tina Khidasheli from Republican Party said that Constitution Court of any country should have considered this draft law to be a discriminating one and would cancel it immediately. She said that if the law is enacted, she is ready to provide legal assistance for population to appeal against the law at the court. 

MPs and representatives of the Executive Government have been arguing on the issue but have not agreed on yet. Parliament should make final decision tomorrow.

Gabashvili stated that population should take part in the rehabilitation of the historical places. “People who reside in such districts should have a sense of condolence. They should have desire to reconstruct their houses. The tax will be named as a solidary one which means that the owners should take part into rehabilitation of the historical houses. Every person who lives in the area should realize that s/he lives in the rehabilitation zone and should pay solidary fee for it.”

Eka Gulua