Shevardnadze Signs Order on Payment of Pension Backlog

(Tbilisi, July 26, 2003, Civil Georgia) – Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze signed an order on funding the budgetary backlog on pensions on July 25.

Several months ago on initiative of the National Movement the pensioners of western Georgian city of Samtredia sued the government for unpaid pensions for years 1998-2000. On April 21 the court ruled in favor of the claimant and ordered the United Social Security Fund and the Finance Ministry to repay 148 thousand Lari (approximately USD 70,000) to the pensioners.

This case triggered similar suits in another western Georgian city of Kutaisi, were up to 2 thousand pensioners appealed ag!
ainst the government. Decision of the Kutaisi District Court was the same: the Fund and the Ministry were ordered to pay 215 thousand Lari (approximately USD 100,000).

The MPs from the opposition National Movement went on hunger strike on July 16 demanding the government to repay pension backlog.

Despite the presidential order, the hunger strikers say that they will not cease the protest action until the Finance Ministry transfers the funds to the local budgets of western Georgian cities of Samtredia and Kutaisi.