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JAMnews
4 days ago
- Politics
- JAMnews
Two people were killed in the collapse of a residential building in Tbilisi
Collapse of a building in Tbilisi Two people were killed and another is in critical condition in hospital after a residential building collapsed in Tbilisi on July 14, the Georgian Ministry of Internal Affairs confirmed. An investigation has been launched under Article 240 of the Criminal Code (violation of safety rules during mining, construction, or other work), which carries a penalty of a fine, corrective labor for up to 2 years, or imprisonment for up to 2 years. A year earlier, social media users had posted a video showing the condition of the now-collapsed building. Mayor calls the collapse an accident Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze described the building collapse as an accident. Speaking at the scene, he said the structure had been classified as fifth-category hazardous and deemed beyond repair. However, some residents refused the city's offer to temporarily vacate the building during its demolition and the construction of a new one, despite the mayor's office pledging to cover rental costs. 'A proposal was made guaranteeing the demolition of the building and the construction of a new one. Implementing this plan required 100% consent from residents, which, unfortunately, could not be secured,' Kaladze said. The next day, the mayor clarified that the building had in fact been categorized as third-class hazardous, a less severe designation. Union blames city hall The independent union of public servants 'Article 78 of the Constitution' recalled a decision adopted two years ago, which allows the municipality to redevelop dilapidated residential buildings without the unanimous consent of apartment owners. 'Even though Tbilisi City Hall and the district administration were informed about the deteriorated condition of the building, and its level of hazard had been determined, Kakha Kaladze now relies solely on the argument that 100% consent was lacking,' the union said. According to the union, Tbilisi City Council Resolution No. 21-1, adopted on January 27, 2023, has allowed for such redevelopment without unanimous consent for more than two years. The union also questioned why a parking lot had been set up in front of the collapsing building, and why commercial signage permits had been issued in recent years: 'What was City Hall thinking? Why did it allow businesses to operate inside a decaying building, set up a parking lot in front of it, and, having refused to rebuild it, fail to ensure the safety of both residents and passersby?' Ombudsman launches investigation The Public Defender's Office announced it would examine issues related to residential safety in the collapsed building. The office noted that despite the existence of a policy for replacing decaying residential buildings in Tbilisi, many families have had to live for years in hazardous conditions. 'These deteriorating buildings pose a danger to both residents and passersby. Years of research show that solving this systemic problem requires timely and effective action — something current legal guarantees and municipal programs are not equipped to deliver,' the ombudsman said. News in Georgia
OC Media
4 days ago
- OC Media
Dilapidated building in Tbilisi partially collapses, killing two and sparking outrage
Sign in or or Become a member to unlock the audio version of this article Join the voices Aliyev wants to silence. For over eight years, OC Media has worked with fearless journalists from Azerbaijan — some of whom now face decades behind bars — to bring you the stories the regime is afraid will get out. Help us fuel Aliyev's fears — become an OC Media member today Become a member A dilapidated five-story residential building in the centre of Tbilisi partially collapsed on Monday, claiming the lives of two, hospitalising one, and causing backlash against the City Hall, which was aware of the building's compromised structural integrity. The collapse occurred near Station Square and sparked public outrage after it emerged that the building was reportedly long uninhabitable. A video resurfaced online from 2024, where a person filmed a large vertical structural crack running through its facade and expressed fears about its potential collapse. Screenshot of a video from 2024 that showed a crack in the building. From social media. Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs has launched a criminal investigation into a potential breach of safety rules. At least one of the victims was a shopkeeper, reportedly working either on the ground floor of the building or nearby. In a Facebook post, her niece criticised Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze and the City Hall. 'I would not wish the tragedy that befell my family today on my worst enemy!', she wrote, tagging Kaladze and Tbilisi City Hall, and adding, 'how do you sleep at night with the weight of so many [lives] on your conscience! My aunt, (my mother's sister) Manana Darakhvelidze, fell under tonnes of debris today and died on the spot […]'. 'One warning, one small wooden fence would have saved us from this tragedy! How long should we be afraid to leave the house? Full of life, healthy, she went to work today and now she is lying in the morgue!', she wrote. 🚨 Footage shows the moment a residential building partially collapsed near Station Square in Tbilisi. Two people a man and a woman have been confirmed dead. Rescue efforts are still ongoing. 📹 Captured by surveillance camera.#Tbilisi #Georgia #BuildingCollapse #Breaking… Advertisement July 14, 2025 Following the tragedy, several high-ranking officials arrived at the scene and spoke to the press. Speaking from the area of the accident, Kaladze stated that the municipal government had been aware of the building's condition and that the residents were offered a chance to join a 'substitution programme', which involves demolishing uninhabitable buildings and constructing new ones in their stead. However, the programme requires unanimous consent from all residents — a condition that, according to Kaladze, had not been met. According to him, residents who had agreed to relocate were provided with alternative housing. Georgia's newly appointed Internal Affairs Minister, Gela Geladze, initially confirmed the death of one person and the hospitalisation of another. A second body was later recovered. 'I can confirm that only one person has been taken to the hospital. They're conscious and receiving medical assistance. At this stage, we can also confirm that only one person has died', he said. Geladze's use of the word 'only' when referring to the casualties drew criticism online as many argued that he was downplaying the tragedy. Georgian Interior Minister Gela Geladze (left) and Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze (center) at scene of the incident. Photo: Interior Ministry/Facebook. Further backlash followed after some also interpreted Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi Irakli Bendeliani's remarks as an attempt to shift responsibility onto the residents. 'Once again, I want to urge the residents to seriously reflect on this tragic incident, and to fully accept the offers made by City Hall. When a building is dilapidated and people's lives are at risk, we must all approach the situation with greater responsibility […] I once again call on and ask the residents of the capital to take this unfortunate incident as a lesson, so that we can prevent such tragedies in the future'. Opposition parties released statements expressing condolences to the friends and families of those affected and accusing the local government of negligence. In its statement, the opposition Freedom Square party referenced past tragedies, such as the mudslide in Shovi in 2023 and a residential building collapse in Batumi in 2021 that resulted in casualties. 'In any democratic and humane state, the mayor would resign at such a time, and all those responsible would be brought before justice, but we no longer live in a normal country. Georgian Dream feels neither responsibility nor remorse — they only justify themselves, hide the truth, and blame the victims. This is what happened in Shovi, this is what happened in Batumi, and this is what will happen now: they will try to avoid responsibility and once again declare citizens as the ones who are at fault'. Members of the former ruling United National Movement party (UNM) filed a complaint with the Prosecutor General's Office, demanding that an investigation be launched into 'the criminal actions' of Kaladze and the City Hall. The independent trade union Article 78 of the Constitution also criticised Tbilisi City Hall for ignoring known structural risks, despite having officially classified the building as dangerous. 'Why did it allow commercial establishments to operate in a dilapidated building […], and why didn't it restrict street trading outside the building? Why was a parking area set up in front of the building, and even if some residents refused relocation, why didn't the City Hall ensure the safety and well-being of both the local residents and passersby?' The union also accused Kaladze of misleading the public by claiming that relocation wasn't possible due to a lack of unanimous consent from residents. 'Changes to the required consent for replacing dilapidated apartment buildings were introduced more than two years ago', they said, citing a Tbilisi City Council resolution from 27 January 2023. The opposition-aligned channel Mtavari reported that Kaladze responded by claiming that the adoption of the resolution was false, and reiterated that the evacuation of residents and subsequent demolition of the building required a unanimous decision. 'I say this with full responsibility. If this is not true, [I'm ready] to resign today', Kaladze said. Independent news outlet Publika reported that Kaladze made additional comments, responding to criticism. 'Everything — good and bad — that happens in the city is all our responsibility, but it's not right to constantly politicise things; every time there's a tragic incident, you always say that Kakha Kaladze and the City Hall are to blame. There is legislation, rules — neither I nor my colleagues are the kind of people to storm into homes with special forces and evict families'.
Civil.ge
11-07-2025
- Business
- Civil.ge
Tbilisi City Hall Orders Chinese-Made Metro Cars
Tbilisi City Hall has awarded a USD 150 million tender to local company GT Group to supply new metro cars from Chinese state-owned rail giant CRRC, Mayor Kakha Kaladze announced on July 10. The announcement comes some two years after an earlier deal to purchase cars from a Russian Metrovagonmash company, backed by EBRD funding, fell through amid Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and subsequent Western sanctions. The new project is funded by the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), with the delivery of a total of 111 cars expected to start in November next year. In 2021, Tbilisi City Hall announced plans to modernize the metro system, initially seeking to buy 44 subway cars worth nearly USD 50 million from the Russian manufacturer Metrovagonmash, with financing from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). That plan collapsed following Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Tbilisi authorities said at the time EBRD had suspended payments to Metrovagonmash due to international sanctions, with Mayor Kaladze announcing in November the same year that the city would cancel the deal and seek other suppliers. In February 2023, however, officials said Metovagonmash remained the supplier, citing its lower bid and concerns over financial penalties. Ultimately, Tbilisi city authorities had to cancel the deal after the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Metrovagonmash over its role in Russia's military production in May 2023. Authorities launched a fresh tender in 2024, this time with the AIIB funding, seeking to purchase 97 subway cars. Critics say the latest tender was designed to favor CRRC and discourage European competitors. 'That company faces serious problems and restrictions in the United States,' Irakli Abesadze, head of the Center for Civic Participation, told Business Media Georgia. He said Czech-based Škoda Group submitted a symbolic bid of just one GEL per subway car, signaling it saw no realistic chance of winning. 'This is direct evidence that a major European manufacturer was interested but knew the outcome was predetermined,' Abesadze said , alleging the tender's terms were 'tailored to serve someone's interests,' leaving no space for fair competition. Early in 2024, the European Commission opened an investigation into the participation of CRRC, one of the world's largest rail suppliers, in a Bulgarian rail tender under its Foreign Subsidies Regulation, suspecting the company received state subsidies that distorted the EU's internal market. The company then withdrew its Bulgaria bid, leading the EU Commission to close the investigation. The winning local partner, GT Group, has also faced questions over its political ties. In a 2021 report , Transparency International (TI) Georgia said the company had received more than GEL 12 million (about USD 4,4 million) in simplified public procurement contracts in 2020, noting the company's ties to the ruling Georgian Dream party. Company owner Temur Ustiashvili donated GEL 60,000 (about USD 22,100) to Georgian Dream in 2016, while another owner, Giorgi Gvelesiani, donated a total of 120,000 (about USD 44,200) to Georgian Dream and fifth President Salome Zurabishvili's campaign between 2016 and 2018. The 2021 report said that prior to 2020, GT Group had secured more than GEL 100 million (about 36,9 million) in public tenders, with the watchdog saying such deals raised 'legitimate concerns about corruption and inefficient spending.' Also Read:
