For Georgia opposition condemns eviction of families in Tbilisi as ‘social tragedy’

A member of Georgia’s opposition party For Georgia has condemned the recent eviction of more than 120 families from a residential building in Tbilisi as a “social tragedy” and a “direct result of state inaction.”

Tamar Kekenadze, a member of the party’s political council, said the forcible removal of families on Thursday - many with young children - from their homes on Tvalchrelidze Street in the outskirts of Tbilisi during extreme heat was a “humanitarian failure.”

"Yesterday, 120 families were forcibly evicted from Tvalchrelidze 1, and large families were thrown into the streets in 40-degree heat," Kekenadze said. "This is a social tragedy for our country and a direct result of the government’s inaction."

Kekenadze said that the Tbilisi faction of For Georgia had been working on the issue for three months, sending written appeals to City Hall, holding meetings with residents, and attempting negotiations with the property owner. However, she claimed that municipal authorities refused to engage in mediation or seek a solution.

"The state has a responsibility to protect both private property rights and the dignity and basic safety of socially vulnerable citizens," she added.

Kekenadze criticised the ruling Georgian Dream party, accusing it of having “no capacity to engage in dialogue with its own people,” and of responding to social challenges with force rather than empathy.

“The government had a duty to find a lawful, humane, and dignified solution for every family,” she said. “Since the state is doing nothing, our team will continue to work until every family has decent housing and a stable future.”