The Public Defender of Georgia has addressed a recommendation to the Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation to take appropriate measures to create adequate living conditions for the IDPs living at 2 Sakviri Street and in the settlement of Patskho-Etseri.

The Public Defender’s Office carried out monitoring in the facilities of alternative accommodation of IDPs – in the apartment blocks of the village of Patskho-Etseri, Tsalenjikha District, and in a building in Sakviri Street in Tbilisi.

In particular, on August 17-18, 2010, a representative of the Public Defender of Georgia visited the settlement of Patskho-Etseri where 13 families of IDPs are living. Despite the fact that the living spaces of the IDPs have been rehabilitated, certain problems remain. In particular, the refugees are not provided with electricity and natural gas, and the floor of the building is damaged. In addition, the refugees are living under harsh social conditions. They do not have food products, medications, household items of primary consumption, and furniture.

Among the IDPs living in Patskho-Etseri are children of young age. Several IDPs have problems related to health, due to which they are in need of a doctor’s supervision, but the nearest medical unit is located ten kilometers from the settlement (in particular, in the village of Jvari, Tsalenjikha District).

On June 14, 2010, a representative of the Public Defender’s Office observed the process of eviction of IDPs from the former building of the Division of Pharmacies of the Trans-Caucasian Military District located at 2 Tvalchrelidze Street in Tbilisi. In the aforementioned building, 38 families had been living for ten years. On the same day, representatives of the Public Defender’s Office carried out monitoring in the building located at 2 Sakviri Street in Tbilisi, where it was planned to accommodate the IDPs. At that time, there were poor living conditions in the building. In particular, the roof was damaged, faucets were not installed, and windows and doors had not been put in. In addition, repairs were under way in the building. In particular, garbage was being taken out of the building, rooms were divided with partitions, and faucets were being installed. According to the builders on the site, the rehabilitation works were supposed to be finished in June 2010.

On July 26, 2010, the Public Defender’s Office carried out monitoring in the aforementioned facility again. Unfortunately, despite the fact that about two months has passed since the IDPs were accommodated, the living conditions of the IDPs living in Sakviri Street remain poor. In addition, according to the IDPs, the repair works have stopped.