The Public Defender Meets with Representatives of the Pensioners’ Union
On October 1 is the World day of elderly. This day is marked in Georgia since 2003. On October 1, 2014, the Public Defender of Georgia met with representatives of Georgia’s Pensioners’ Union at the National Parliamentary Library and personally congratulated them on the day. He also personally listened to them about their problems and their individual rights and violations.
The Chairman of the Pensioners’ Association of Georgia Aderkin Koplatadze spoke about work conducted by the association. He noted that they granted material assistance with money and products to around 60 000 pensioners. That itself is a moral support.
The pensioners attending the meeting expressed their sorrow on inappropriate social benefits, high percentage of retirement loans, lack of accessibility to a series of healthcare and social services (medicines, homecare, day centre, communal services) and many other problems. They also talked about shortage of shelters for elderly that makes access to those shelters more difficult.
The Public Defender stressed the importance of unequivocal approach on the part of state and involvement of the public. Ucha Nanuashvili himself believes that a pension should be determined on the basis of seniority. The Public Defender promised the pensioners assistance in conduction of relations with state structures. A special chapter was allotted to problems of elderly in Georgia in the Parliamentary report 2013 of the Public Defender. It should be noted that part of their recommendations of the Public defender were reflected in a decree that the Government to establish and develop new services for elderly.
