The Georgian NGO Young Barristers requested the President of the country to get interested in the case of Giorgi Papuashvili’s residence in the property illegally confiscated from its legal owner. During the civil sector meeting with the President of the country on October 29, 2015, Archil Kaiakatsishvili has discussed an issue of property confiscations and emphasized the role of the President in the process of restoring justice in the country. “Mr. President, you have a special role in the State, including the process of restoration of the justice. We have talked about an issue of confiscation of the property from the legal owner by the former Government. Our organization has thoroughly researched this issue and prepared monitoring, which revealed that during 2004-2012, 5634 units of different kind of private property, including business shares, stocks, cars and real estates have been given up by the citizens in to the State ownership without any charge through gift agreements or abandonment.   I did expect, that the President would help returning at least one lost property to its legal owner. However, our request to the President to abolish ordinance of the former President was rejected by him. The issue is much complicated, you are supposedly not aware, that the President of the Constitutional Court of Georgia now lives in the real estate illegally confiscated from Roland Bladadze’s legal ownership. We requested abolishment of the ordinance passed by your predecessor according to which Roland Bladadze’s property was given to Giorgi Papuashvili for symbolic price of 1000 GEL. Today, Roland Bladadze is acquitted of the charges due to which his property was initially confiscated, however this hasn’t changed his situation with regard to the property rights. Although this is not the topic of our meeting, yet I believe that when we are talking about justice, the role of the President is essential”- stated Mr. Kaikatsishvili. 

We would like to note, that the President was surprised to hear about the case and said that he was not aware of such information. Kakha Kojoridze, an advisor of the President also responded to Archil. He noted, that the President is not authorized to abolish former President’s ordinances or other legal acts. However, Archil Kaikatsishvili stated, that if there was a political will of the President, there are lots of other legal mechanisms that can be used for the problem resolution.