Government made it clear on March 9 that it will not yield to the pressure exerted by the opposition through protest rallies and will not change its decision on imposing new regulations for outdoor market vendors.
Prime Minister Zurab Nogaideli told opposition parliamentarians on March 9 that the government’s decision over cash registers in outdoor markets is firm and it will not be changed.
PM Nogaideli met with four MPs from the Democratic Front parliamentary faction Koba Davitashvili, Zviad Dzidziguri, Bidzina Gujabidze and Bezhan Gunava in his office late on March 9 after these MPs announced a hunger strike with the demand to meet the PM Nogaideli.
“Decision is made and it will not be changed,” PM told parliamentarians during a brief meeting with them.
He said that those fixed taxes which outdoor market vendors were paying previously have never reached the state budget, thus “undermining the government’s planned programs in education and social sphere.”
PM Nogaideli added that the situation must change through putting into practice use of cash registers in outdoor markets.
About 3 000 protesters led by the opposition Labor Party, New Rights and Democratic Front parliamentary faction (uniting Republican and Conservative parties) gathered outside the Parliament and later in front of the State Chancellery on March 9 with the demand to cancel, or at least postpone enforcement of law adopted by the Parliament in late December, 2005 according to which those sellers who are not using cash registers starting from March 1 will have to pay a GEL 500 (USD 278) fine. A minor clash erupted between the police and protesters after the police prevented them from blocking Rustaveli avenue in front of the Parliament.
Law requiring use of cash registers existed long before these protest rallies. But it has never been put into practice in respect of outdoor markets before. Through the amendments in December Parliament only increased fines. The issue of cash registers topped the opposition’s political agenda in late February, when it became clear that the government seriously planned to put this law into practice.
Although one part of outdoor market vendors have already bought cash registers, another part still claims that they can not afford to purchase them – average price is about USD 150. They are also demanding to pay monthly fixed tax rates. Some of them are also complaining that they will have problems while using cash registers, as they are not prepared for such “a drastic change.”
Although Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze supported the government’s initiative, she criticized the government for not carrying out sufficient “explanatory activities” with outdoor market vendors, which as she said, resulted into their protest.
The opposition says that the government demonstrated its “stubbornness” by not showing any sign of readiness for compromise.
“What we have listened from the PM is that the authorities do not want dialogue with the people… We will continue our protest rallies,” MP Zviad Dzidziguri told reporters after talks with the PM, adding that the protests will resume on March 10.
But authorities seem to be downplaying these protests. “This is not a government with whom it is possible to talk like this [street protest rallies],” MP Nogaideli said during the meeting with opposition MPs.
Not all the opponents of the authorities share the opposition parties’ stance over the issue of cash registers. Leader of newly formed opposition political party, ex-Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili said in an interview with Civil Georgia on March 8 that there are more serious problems in the country, including related with rule of law, which are really worth of street protests.
“Not all the problematic issues have the same importance. For example, you cannot protest against the cash registers and murder case of Sandro Girgvliani equally. I think that it is not necessary to hold a street rally regarding the cash registers,” Zourabichvili said.
