The Two Faces of Batumi

Alongside cobbled streets with newly built block of flats and modern hotels there is another facet of Batumi. These are the so-called barracks unfit for living. Most of them are dilapidated, with broken floors and wall cracks, water leaking from ceiling and sewing system being out of order.

As far back as in 2008 “The United National Movement” government adopted a program called “Batumi without barracks” which envisaged that by 2010 there should have been no barracks in the resort city. The authorities signed a memorandum with families living in barracks and as part of that project some of the families moved to new apartments.

In 2014 new authorities promoted their predecessors’ idea “Batumi without barracks”.
According to government decree #393 as of June 11, 2014 a new state run program and all stockholders were approved. The Ajara government allocated $20 million, but soon after had stopped the program.

[Yiatamze Siradze, aged 83, resides in Batumi, on 6, Dimitri Tavdadebuli Street]

Administrative borders of Batumi include 162 barracks-type buildings, which house 1654 families and 5704 people.

In comments provided for factcheck.ge, Batumi City Hall’s representatives claim that no clearly defined amount of money has been allotted from the 2018 budget towards the goal of replacing below-standards housing with modern alternatives.

Despite existence of decrees pertaining to the matter, the life of people living in such conditions has remained unchanged for many years now. Batumi looks completely different to tourists, though; in them, the city invokes only positive emotions.

                             


Natia Kankia
David Liklikadze
Akaki Gvimradze
Manon Bokuchava