The Tbilisi Municipal Inspection, together with Tbilservice Group, removed unauthorized outdoor stalls and cleaned the area near Station Square metro station and the nearby Deserters’ Market.
Tbilisi City Hall said the operation covered the area around the metro station, as well as Tevdore Mghvdeli, Abastumani and Tsinamdzghvrishvili streets.
Following the removal of the unauthorized structures, workers cleaned the area and washed metro entrances, streets and sidewalks with special foam.
The Head of the Tbilisi Municipal Inspection, Gogi Chikovani, said illegal street trading near Station Square and metro entrances had become increasingly common, with vendors placing temporary structures and stalls on sidewalks, restricting pedestrian movement and, in some cases, obstructing traffic.
Chikovani also said the inspection had documented cases of environmental pollution and unsanitary conditions in the area. He noted that the Municipal Inspection regularly monitors outdoor trade across the capital and takes action against illegally installed structures in public spaces to keep them accessible.
Equality Policy Program Director at the Social Justice Center Tamta Mikeladze, criticized the operation, arguing that City Hall’s statement ignores the people whose livelihoods depend on street trading. She suggested that the municipality focused on removing visible signs of poverty rather than addressing its causes.
Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze said the area around the Station Square metro station and the “Deserters’ Market” required regulation due to problems caused by unauthorized street trading, which he said had affected pedestrian movement and inconvenienced residents.
Kaladze noted that despite multiple warnings from the Municipal Inspection, street vendors had not removed the unauthorized structures themselves, prompting City Hall to take further action.
The mayor added that there are several market areas nearby where street traders can continue their economic activities.
