Rockets, Georgia and New Year

New Year is one of the most beloved holidays in Georgia, as in many other countries.

It is loved in the country so much that Georgians celebrate it two times a year, on both January 1 and January 14.

New Year is unimaginable without fireworks, and during the celebrations one can hear the sound of rockets in any part of Georgia and see the diverse pyrotechnics.

However, fireworks have been and still are a problem in Georgia, with dozens of people suffering light or heavy injures sustained by pyrotechnics.

One of the cases took place on January 1, when a woman in her fifties was hospitalized as a result of explosion of pyrotechnics in Telavi, in the eastern Kakheti region.

She lost several fingers as a result of the incident.

There is currently no effective legislation in Georgia that would regulate the usage of fireworks.

Substantial quantities of fireworks are bought in Georgia for the New Year celebrations, with no proper knowledge how safe they can be or the rules of their usage.

In most cases, parents are indifferent to the issues, and their attitude leads to damaging or even fatal consequences for children.

Herewith, everyone can detonate a very powerful and noisy rocket at any time during the New Year celebrations, which last in Georgia for about a month, and disturb other people’s sleep and violate their right to feel comfortable at home.

The issue is directly linked with the health of Georgian citizens, and the Government must provide relevant measures to maximally reduce the threats posed by pyrotechnics.

Parents and those who buy fireworks for children must also be very cautious, carefully read the rules of usage and follow the instructions.