Miners from the western Georgian municipality of Chiatura are currently holding a rally in front of the Government Administration Building in Tbilisi. The demonstration follows a wave of protests that began on February 28 in Chiatura, fueled by grievances over unpaid wages and the management of local manganese mines. As the protests spread, law enforcement has been deployed to manage the situation.
Tariel Mikatsadze, a miner participating in the rally, expressed solidarity among the workers, saying, “the pain of Chiatura brought us here. Despite our personal party views, one problem unites us.”
The miners are calling for the payment of overdue salaries, which have not been paid for the past three months, and for the removal of Georgian Manganese from the management of the mines. They are also urging the government to take over the management of the mines to ensure better working conditions and address the serious environmental and health concerns associated with the mining operations.
Mikatsadze highlighted the urgency of the situation, saying, “three months’ salary should be paid, and at the same time, the banking problems that Chiatura residents have encountered due to non-payment of salaries should be resolved.” He also stressed the need for workers to have insurance, as the region’s air quality is 32 times more polluted than the permissible level due to mining activities.
Job security is another significant concern. The miners are alarmed by reports that the company plans to reduce its workforce by 1,600 employees, leaving many without jobs. “This is a problem that must be resolved together with the government,” Mikatsadze said, urging the state to intervene and protect the workers’ livelihoods.
In addition to these immediate demands, the miners are calling for a full investigation into the activities of Georgian Manganese, which has operated in the region since 2006. They allege that the company’s practices have caused substantial harm to Chiatura, Zestaponi, and Vartsikhe, and are demanding that the government take over the management of the mines to prevent further exploitation.
The protestors have also proposed the creation of a fund, which would allocate 5% of manganese export revenues to generate new job opportunities in Chiatura, a region where manganese resources are running low. Mikatsadze also suggested that the fund could support the education of future generations in the area. Additionally, the miners are calling for free municipal transport to the villages, a move they say would ease the financial burden on local residents.
