Georgian  Health Minister Zurab Azarashvili  called on opponents on Monday to “stop speculations” that the authorities “have abandoned Ukrainian refugees,” as the state programme, which covered food and shelter expenses for the refugees, ended today. 

Azarashvili claimed that the government had decided to allocate 300 GEL monthly assistance for the Ukrainian families and an additional 45 GEL for individual refugees with special needs starting August. 

"In July, a government decree was issued, and since March, for Ukrainian refugees housed in hotels, as well as for those who are not housed in hotels, the government has made a decision that in case of need and their request, the state will help each family with 300 GEL”, Azarashvili said, noting that Georgia considered the practices of those countries which also shelter Ukrainian refugees. 

“In our case, when we have up to 300,000 Internally Displaced Persons in the country, it is also important to be close to their aid package, and therefore we took the maximum that we do for our compatriots”, Azarashvili said. 

He stated that as of today, most of the refugees have left the hotels and majority of them have already received the 300 GEL aid. 

“The Ministry employees had visited those 40 hotels for three weeks and opened accounts for all refugees”, said the Minister. 

Opposition leader Elena Khoshtaria said Monday that “making Ukrainian refugees to leave hotels” on the background of the Russian war in Ukraine “is a hostile move by the government and a shame for the country”.