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“Energy-Pro” Should Open-up & “Solve Problems”

March 21, 2008


 Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

Several days ago, the Human Rights Center’s Kutaisi Bureau appealed to Aleksandre Khetaguri, the Georgian Minister of Energy, to consider the problem faced by socially excluded families on a personal level, especially one the family that has been faced with many difficulties in its dealings with the Western Georgian Central Organization for the Energy-Pro Georgia. The money on the voucher for the designated beneficiary had received by the Agency for Social Subsidies was transferred on the account of another subscriber. (See the article “Problem with Presidential Subsidies” on February 19).

Dali Khachapuridze, a resident of Kutaisi used the electricity of 150 GEL with the hope that it would be covered from the voucher the president had presented her family. Later, the demand was made to pay the bill herself. It is quite natural that the family, whose members are disabled people, could not pay such a large bill. Consequently, the Energy-Pro cut off their electricity for non-payment.

The Human Rights Center’s Kutaisi Bureau applied to the Western Georgian Central Organization for the Energy-Pro Georgia to learn about the situation. The representatives of the company explained that they had nothing to do with the problem; in fact it was inattentiveness of the subscriber is what caused the problem in the first place. Consequently, “Energy-Pro” could not pride any assistance. However, finally the Minister of Energy was able to assist us. The minister sent the representatives of the General Inspection and his Ministry to the Human Rights Center’s Kutaisi Bureau to study the problem.

The meeting was held in the Kutaisi office of the Human Rights Center; besides the above-mentioned guests the meeting was attended by the head of the Imereti Region Coordination Center for the Agency of Social Subsidies, as well as officials from the Western Georgian Central Organization for the Energy-Pro Georgia. At the meeting they concluded that Khachapuridze is a real owner of the presidential subsidy, 6 vouchers, and she had right to use them based on her wishes.

“Based on the appeal from your organization the Minister of the Energy personally involved the problem settlement. We arrived here according to his directions to study the situation on the place in order to settle it on time. The meeting exposed that there was mistake for what citizen Khachapuridze should not be victimized. It is clear that the mistake must be immediately corrected and the situation improved. Just imagine, the government grants the voucher to the person and for the mistake of some people he cannot make use of these entitlements. The mistake must be corrected. The closed circle must be opened and the Western Georgian Central Organization for the Energy-Pro Georgia should take responsibility for the delay. They should cooperate with the Agency for the Social Subsidies in resolving the problem,” said Tamaz Tkhelidze, the head of the Department of Technical Monitoring within the Ministry of Energy.


The meeting revealed that the resolution of the problem is not so much problematic and as the Energy-Pro explained they should transfer the money from one account to another one. As for the mistake while carrying out its responsibilities, Energy-Pro Georgia should bear full responsibility. “When the Energy-company changed the subscriber number they should have informed the subscriber about the mistake. Consequently, the subscriber could have produced the corrected voucher to the bank.”

“It is the procedure according to which our agency transfers money to People’s Bank.  After the voucher is activated the bank and the Energy Company begins cooperation and we then have nothing more to do with it. I confirm that Dali Khachapuridze is a real owner of the voucher. The Energy Company should confirm that Khachapuridze is a real owner of the voucher and to admit that the mistake occurred. Representatives of the Energy Company say that the money is on the account of the subscriber. I cannot understand what is the problem to transfer the money from one to another account? The point is that the Energy Company should write to the People’s Bank and inform that a mistake has been made and it should be corrected,” said Pikria Beradze, the head of the Imereti Region Coordination Office of the Agency for Social Subsidies.

At the end of the meeting all sides signed the agreement based on which the representatives of the administrative bodies assumed various responsibilities.

It became clear that the vouchers really belong to Dali Khachapuridze and she can use the electricity until the problem is finally resolved. In order to enable the subscriber to enjoy her vouchers, 
Western Georgian Central Organization for the Energy-Pro Georgia should settle the problem in cooperation with the Agency for Social Subsidies and the People’s Bank, as it is stipulated in the above-mentioned agreement.

 

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