Georgian PM announces new flats for 582 eco-migrant families in Batumi

Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze on Wednesday announced 582 eco-migrant families living in “difficult circumstances” in the “Dream Town” settlement of the Black Sea city of Batumi would receive new flats today.

In comments at the handover ceremony in the settlement, Kobakhidze congratulated the residents on the completion of the “important project” and highlighted 800 children were among beneficiaries of the decision.

Today’s event reflects the Government’s commitment to its citizens [...] this project will not end here, as plans are in place to provide more than 1,000 additional families with flats in the near future”, the Prime Minister said.

He added Tornike Rijvadze, the Chair of the regional Adjara Government, and his office were working on the initiative.

Photo: Gov't Administration

The Prime Minister said the challenge of accommodation for residents of the settlement was a “remnant” of the previous Government of the United National Movement party that was being “gradually addressed”.

During the UNM rule, over 1.1 million people lived below the poverty line. This number has been reduced to 435,000, but in 2012, the poverty rate was very high due to the problem inherited from the previous Government. The current Government has taken the initiative to construct 582 flats at its own expense to assist its citizens. This budget existed previously, but was misused by the UNM party. This highlights the difference between the previous and current government”, he said.

Construction of the new accommodation began in 2020 to create “decent living conditions” for hundreds of families who had moved from the highlands of the region to Batumi in 2012 and settled on the outskirts of the city in huts they had made of cardboard.

Rijvadze called the initiative an “unprecedented decision” made by the Adjara Government to “solve the biggest social challenge” in the region.