Ombudsperson cites ecological, healthcare issues as key challenges in her report

Georgian Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has drawn particular attention to ecology and healthcare issues in her 336-page report, presented in parliament earlier today. 

She says that the damage inflicted on the environment in Georgia has been ‘huge’ over the past several years and that state laws to combat the problem ‘remain ineffective.’ 

For instance the damage counted between 2013 and 2018 [by responsible state agencies] amounted to 197 million GEL, while the money paid out for the damage only amounted to 800,000 GEL,” Lomjaria says. 

She stated that the country lacks an appropriate air monitoring system and there is no exact information about the damage people in Georgia receive due to polluted air. 

There is no effective mechanism which would reveal the vehicles which have already undergone a mandatory technical inspection but still pollute the environment,” Lomjaria says. 

 She stated that six per cent more adults have been diagnosed with cancer over the past five years.

"There is no universal system or a programme which would allow cancer patients have an simplified access to free services [and the money paid by the patients remain high in the situation]." 

Public Defender Nino Lomjaria has urged for further steps for the protection of the right to expression. Photo: Public Defender's press office. 

Lomjaria said that steps have been taken for improvements in the mental healthcare field. However,  “the lack of ambulatory services for individuals with mental issues remains a problem.” 

After being hospitalised in 2008 only 37 per cent of patients with mental problems have been involved in ambulatory services. An indifferent attitude to the people by their family members is also a serious problem,” Lomjaria said.  

Lomjaria stated that it is important for the state to show more attention to the elderly population, who “very often are the victims of domestic violence.”

She stated that drug addicts are in need of special medical programmes. 

Lomjaria stated that the new regulations to prevent incidents at the workplace, which entered into force on September 1, is a “big step forward’. 

It is particularly important in the situation when we have  alarming statistics: 106 people have died and 305 received injures at the workplace in 2018-2019. Now it is very important how the regulations are enforced and whether they will manage to change the negative statistics,” Lomjaria stated. 

She said  that after 10 years since the Russia Georgia war “there is a severe humanitarian situation” in the Georgian Russian-occupied regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali and the people living in and near the occupation line have no access to proper healthcare, education programmes and other vital necessities. 

Lomjaria stated that the media was “too polarised” in 2018 and the law adopted regarding the selection process of the Georgian Supreme Court judges did not meet several key recommendations of the OSCE/ODIHR.