In Batumi, IDPs demand to disclose conditions for allocation of apartments

It is for political reasons that the authorities of Adjara do not voice clear criteria for allocation of new apartments for residents of the Dream City settlement in Batumi, activists say. The regulation for allocation of apartments has not been developed, since the houses under construction are not ready for use, the Adjara Ministry of Finance reports.

The "Caucasian Knot" has reported that in February, the construction of three apartment buildings for internally displaced persons (IDPs) was launched in the Dream City settlement in Batumi. Local residents do not believe that the houses will be completed at all, and they claim the current housing is unfit for accommodation. On March 22, the people held a rally, at which they demanded to allocate apartments to them.

The activists reproached the authorities for concealing the information when the apartments would be allocated to the IDPs.

The administration does not provide any information concerning the allocation of apartments, says Madonna Shanidze, a resident of the Dream City settlement. The woman has added that the problem of the people living in the Dream City settlement is not being resolved despite the widespread public outcry.

Khatuna Beridze, the leader of the NGO “Alternative”, also voiced the opinion that the authorities are delaying the development of criteria for the allocation of apartments. The activist associates the authorities' reluctance to solve the problem of forced migrants with political ratings.

The number of people living in the Dream City settlement continues to increase, but not all of them are actually internally displaced persons, Khatuna Beridze adds.

The authorities do not announce the recipients of new apartments due to the unavailability of the houses under construction, an official from the Adjara Ministry of Finance explains.