People protest memorial destruction in Kutaisi

Print version

Author: Tamar Kikacheishvili

About 500 people gathered to protest the demolition of a World War II memorial that killed two in Georgia’s western city of Kutaisi.

Today opposition leaders Salome Zourabichvili, Gubazkidze, Zurab Noghaideli, Temur Shashiashvili and Koba Davitashvili visited the family of the deceased and expressed their condolences. Some rally participants suggested the building of a church at the place of the tragedy.

Kutaisi regional newspaper Akhali Gazeti (The New Paper) reported that the memorial was blow up on Dec. 19 at 16:00. The explosion killed 11-year-old Nino Jincharadze and her mother Eka Tsutskhvashvili.

Georgia’s chief prosecutor made a special statement regarding the issue and said that the company that conducted the destruction had received orders from the Kutaisi municipality.

Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili discharged the Imereti Governor Mikheil Chogovadze region in response to the tragedy. The president’s spokesperson, Manana Mandjgaladze, said that president canceled his Denmark visit and held a special briefing after arriving in Tbilisi.

Representatives from the Interior Affairs Ministry and the regional administration attended the meeting.

Mandjagaladze said that the state will cover all funeral expenses of the deceased. She also announced that the president hopes that an investigation would find who is to blame for the tragedy soon.

21 December Mon 2009, 16:58:11