|
Monday,
August 6,
2007, #148 (1415) By Ana Kvrivishvili
The merchants began to carry out their goods from the Dezertirebis Bazaar building after construction crews began to tear down the dilapidated facilities. Davit Avaliani, deputy chief of the City Supervision Service, told journalists that the new supermarket administration decided that action was necessary as the current structure presents hazards for merchants and customers. The new management has consulted experts, he said, who have advised the immediate demolition of the structure for safety reasons. "Thus, they decided to avoid incidents, not to endanger the lives of the traders and customers and to close the market and begin the deconstruction process," Avaliani said. Imedi TV reported that the merchants received official news of the closure of their trading centre at the last minute. There had been great confusion among vendors over the reported sale of the market and the plans of the new owners. The merchants of the Dezertirebis Bazaar protested the property's sale, having suspected that they would be forced out by the new owners. On August 4, Mamuka Akhvlediani, vice Mayor of Tbilisi, held a special briefing where he promised that the merchants of Dezertirebis Bazaar won't be left without a place to do business. Akhvlediani made assurances that the vendors of the closing supermarket will be able to continue working in the other eight supermarkets in the city. "All the 1084 merchants will be satisfied by new places in different agricultural markets of Tbilisi," he stated. The administrations of the other supermarkets have already expressed their readiness to absorb the newly-itinerant traders. The Gladani-Mukhiani trade center, Championi 2004, even promised to waive market fees for three weeks, reported Rustavi 2. Akhvlediani has met with the directors of these supermarkets, he said, and the registration process for the traders has already begun at Dinamo Stadium, where it will be continued until August 6. The new management of the Dezertirebis Bazaar has promised the displaced merchants a compensation of GEL 100 each. This is meant to cover them in the interim period as they register with a new market. However, many traders remain unhappy with the situation, and have misgivings about the ability of the other supermarkets to provide places for all the traders. The British-based
Herald Trade Company has acquired the site, according to the Prime News
press center, and plans to build a multi-functional trade center that
will be larger and better-designed than the previous structure. |
Tbilisi market shut down, one thousand vendors forced out
