Protesters Demand Compensation for Public Commodities

A few hundred protesters gathered outside the Tbilisi Municipality on January 30 to protest against what they call the ?abolition of compensations? by the government for war veterans.

In January 2007 the government canceled compensation for public commodities and services for WW II veterans, as well as for veterans of the Abkhaz and South Ossetian armed conflicts, as a part of a ?monetization policy.? As a result veterans will now receive from GEL 7 to GEL 44 per month depending on pensioner and veteran social categories.

The Minister for Healthcare and Social Issues Lado Chipashvili said recently that GEL 28 million has been allocated in the state budget to fund the monetization policy.

Similar protest rallies were held three times last week.

Some opposition lawmakers from the New Rights party and politicians from the opposition Labor Party also joined the protest rally.

The protesters were demanding the restoration of government-funded compensation for public commodities and services and the resignation of the Minister for Healthcare and Social Issues. On January 30 the protesters also began calling for the resignation of Tbilisi Mayor Gigi Ugulava. The protesters later moved outside the State Chancellery and before dissolving vowed to continue protests.

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