Refugees from Abkhazia plan to give up Georgian citizenship

In Tbilisi, the refugees from Abkhazia who were evicted from the publishing house "Samshoblo" held a protest action at the building of the Ministry for Refugees' Matters and Accommodation, demanding housing. Should the authorities fail to solve their housing problems, they plan to refuse from their Georgian citizenship.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that on July 26 refugees from Abkhazia were evicted from the building of the publishing house "Samshoblo": they were offered alternative housing facilities in villages of Potsno and Oreli, Zugdidi District. However, people demand housing in Tbilisi.

"We don't want to stay in Rustaveli Avenue; let Georgian authorities return us back to Abkhazia, to our houses. If our demand is ignored, we - about 20 refugees - plan to hold an action at the Inguri River and ask for citizenship from the opposite party. I think they won't reject us. We just have no other way out," said Liya Markoziya, a refugee from the Gali District of Abkhazia. She added that "the authorities of Georgia fail to react to refugees' demands for housing; therefore, we have to resort to radical steps," the "News-Georgia" writes.

Lasha Chkhartishvili, a member of the Conservative Party of Georgia, said that the refugees' demand to accommodate them in Tbilisi is not their whim. According to his story, about 100 families are in distress; and it will be much more difficult for them to earn for life outside Tbilisi.

On July 29, refugees want to start a sit-in protest action at the building of President's residence in Tbilisi; and the action will be held daily, Ms Markoziya said. On July 30, refugees will hold another protest action near the Ministry of Economy.

Eka Gulua, head of the press service of the Ministry for Refugees' Matters and Accommodation, made a statement that the state offered housing to refugees in newly-repaired buildings; the housing there will become their property.