Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Truth and Recriminations: Wearing “Iron Sandals”

March 5, 2008
Gulo Kokhodze, Adigeni

Shakro Tavadze, a resident of the village of Tsakhani in Adigeni Municipality, blames Papuna Khachidze, Deputy Governor of Samtskhe-Javakheti Region, for having insulted him and further  claims that “such  people” should not be allowed to work in high positions.

“I was very much insulted. Get out! Leave me alone and go and appeal against me wherever you want. I will not give you wood because I do not want to,” Shakro Tavadze states that Papuna Khachidze started a conversation with him in the reception room at the Regional Administration Building with such words.

Shakro Tavadze has nine children. Three weeks ago he petitioned to the Adigeni Municipality to provide lumber to repair his damaged house.

“Eighteen people live in two houses. One of them should be repaired and another one is completely damaged. Adigeni District Administration could not support me because they do not have funds,” said Tavadze.

The petition was sent to the Samtskhe-Javakheti Regional Administration from the Adigeni District Administration. Shakro Tavadze stated that a special commission had arrived in his house and they examined the conditions of his house and concluded that the family actually needed the wood to fix up the house. Adigeni District governor served as a go-between with the Regional Administration in this matter. 

Shakro Tavadze, who is disabled, tried to meet Papuna Khachidze twice.  However, on all occasions, he was busy and could not meet the man. Tavadze did manage to talk with the Deputy Regional Governor. “He told me they had sent my petition to Akhaltsikhe Administrative Board. I replied to him he had no idea about the real work because he had to send my petition to Tbilisi. Papuna Khachidze became angry with my response and started shouting and scolding me. His deputy Vano Gelashvili went out of the room in light of the tone and asked me to come to his room. The Deputy Governor was threatening to beat me should I not leave,” said Shakro Tavadze.

Deputy Regional Governor states that Tavadze requested to be allocated a plot in Akhaltsikhe district and be provide with wood to carry out repairs on his house. Consequently I sent his appeal to the Akhaltsikhe district board. Papuna Khachidze claimed that under the current law wood cannot be allocated. In terms of the incident he reported the following:

“I do not deny that we had an incident. Many people were waiting for me in the reception room. The secretary told me that the author of the petition about the plot request was also waiting for me. I told the secretary that the man did not need to meet me because he could be provided an answer at the district administration level. The secretary told me that the man still insisted to meet me. I went out and explained that his documents were at regional administration. He started to insult me claiming I was stupid and did not know my job. I called the guard and warned against letting similar people into our office. Tavadze concluded that I had insulted him. Maybe I should blame myself for the incident but I cannot see where I was responsible,” said Papuna Khachidze.

Shakro Tavadze claims that the deputy governor then scolded him;

“He was scolding me. Whom should I apply to now? Saakashvili should not allow such people to work in high positions.  Our president has problems because of such people”, he added.

Papuna Khachidze claims that three people were waiting for him on the day of incident. “I did not scold him. I said that a person should not behave in such an impolite manner when you want to meet a person to find out something. He could not understand my explanations and started to insult me. He said that I was stupid and did not know my job. I was rude to him and told the guards that the man was apparently mad and that they should not have allowed him to enter. I concluded that Tavadze was really crazy. I understand that he was annoyed but we are human beings too.”

Shakro Tavadze claims that he will find the truth even if he has to meet with the Georgian President. 
  

News