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Street vendors face problems

Traders held a protest yesterday in front of Tbilisi City Hall. In Navtlughi and in the areas to the adjacent railway station, four days of violence was carried out by the police on them. Traders say that the police treated them badly and the items were seized. They also reported that the police force started acting on the request of the market administration, as they say there is a definite conflict between the market traders and traders in the street, writes Ressonansi.

The traders state that the police told them that they are performing the task of the Interior Minister Irakli Garibashvili. But the traders do not believe this and think that Mayor Gigi Ugulava ordered this to the police. One of the vendors claims that after the coming of the coalition into power, they had better working environment. No one disturbed their street vending. However, for four days the patrol police have seriously hindered them. “We know why it happens. As it seems market administration called to the Mayor’s office to get rid of us. The patrol police abuse us verbally and physically. This morning they took away goods from us. They told us that that it was the order from the Interior Minister, Irakli Gharibashvili and that the goods will be given to charity houses. It is a lie of course; we know this and believe that Ugulava stands behind the action

If street vendors were given area last year and we could earn little money for our families why we are not allowed currently? We are told by some individuals that the coalition Georgian Dream is against street vending for people to lose trust towards the new government. “It will not happen like this; people voted for Gigi Ugulava and he is obliged to help us. We are not going to stop. In the case that Ugulava ignores us, the protest wave will be stronger,” one of the vendors said.