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The World Book Day without books

Netgazeti reports that April 23 is the international day of books and intellectual property rights. Georgia has been celebrating this date for years. However, this time, the majority of bookstores in Georgia shut their doors and refused to work as a sign of solidarity to the publishers, while Pushkin Square hosts the traditional book-sale.

This is the protest rally of the Georgian publishers and booksellers against the April 8th decision of the Ministry of Education and Science of Georgia.

“This decision violates the intellectual and property rights of authors and publishers of textbooks,” says the statement of the Georgian Publishers & Booksellers Association.

Organizers of the April 23 rally think that it is necessary to demonstrate that property rights like any other type of property should not be violated.

According to the Association, "copyrights are protected by the Copyright Law and the Constitution of Georgia,” thus infringement of copyright is unacceptable.

Netgazeti reminds that the Ministry of Education has enforced one of the articles of the normative act issued during the ministry of Dimitri Shashkin. According to this decision, the state will not buy school textbooks from the publishing houses but directly print them in printing-houses. The new Minister of Education said the books will become available for every student for free.