Tweet
Civil Georgia, Georgia
April 15 2007
Advocacy Group Slams MP for Hate Speech
Advocacy group Public Movement Multinational Georgia said on April
14 that MP Beso Jugeli's remarks in defense of a proposal envisaging
new housing tax for residents of old part of the capital city
Tbilisi, was `manifestation of fascism.'
A new initiative to impose a tax on those residents of Tbilisi, who
live in the old part of the city, has triggered political debates
this week. If approved, a resident living in this part of the city
will have to pay from GEL 0,1 to GEL 3 per square meter of dwelling
space per month. Funds collected from the tax, reportedly, will be
spent on rehabilitation of the old part of the city. Some opposition
politicians have claimed that the initiative is aimed at forcing
local residence of the district, which has turned into an attractive
area for real estate investments, to sell their dwelling spaces.
Speaking in defense of the initiative, Beso Jugeli, a lawmaker from
the ruling National Movement Party, said that the proposal `is not
directed against Georgians.'
`Mainly Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds and other nationalities live
in these historical districts... There is no necessity for Mikirtich
[an Armenian name] to always live in Sololaki [a district in old part
of Tbilisi] ,` the daily 24 Saati (24 Hours) quoted MP Jugeli on
April 12.
Ethnic minority advocacy group Public Movement Multinational Georgia
said that these remarks were `absolutely unacceptable and
inadmissible for any civilized society.'
`We address leaders of the governing party with a request to comment
statement made by MP Jugeli and undertake corresponding measures in
regards to this fact,' the statement reads.
`We give an opportunity to MP Jugeli to apologize on the very first
working day - Monday - to the whole population of Georgia, and
particularly those living in Tbilisi, whose historical traditions of
friendship, brotherhood, tolerance and diversity he does not share,'
the group said.
April 15 2007
Advocacy Group Slams MP for Hate Speech
Advocacy group Public Movement Multinational Georgia said on April
14 that MP Beso Jugeli's remarks in defense of a proposal envisaging
new housing tax for residents of old part of the capital city
Tbilisi, was `manifestation of fascism.'
A new initiative to impose a tax on those residents of Tbilisi, who
live in the old part of the city, has triggered political debates
this week. If approved, a resident living in this part of the city
will have to pay from GEL 0,1 to GEL 3 per square meter of dwelling
space per month. Funds collected from the tax, reportedly, will be
spent on rehabilitation of the old part of the city. Some opposition
politicians have claimed that the initiative is aimed at forcing
local residence of the district, which has turned into an attractive
area for real estate investments, to sell their dwelling spaces.
Speaking in defense of the initiative, Beso Jugeli, a lawmaker from
the ruling National Movement Party, said that the proposal `is not
directed against Georgians.'
`Mainly Armenians, Azerbaijanis, Kurds and other nationalities live
in these historical districts... There is no necessity for Mikirtich
[an Armenian name] to always live in Sololaki [a district in old part
of Tbilisi] ,` the daily 24 Saati (24 Hours) quoted MP Jugeli on
April 12.
Ethnic minority advocacy group Public Movement Multinational Georgia
said that these remarks were `absolutely unacceptable and
inadmissible for any civilized society.'
`We address leaders of the governing party with a request to comment
statement made by MP Jugeli and undertake corresponding measures in
regards to this fact,' the statement reads.
`We give an opportunity to MP Jugeli to apologize on the very first
working day - Monday - to the whole population of Georgia, and
particularly those living in Tbilisi, whose historical traditions of
friendship, brotherhood, tolerance and diversity he does not share,'
the group said.