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What do you think about the strike and demands of yellow mini-bus drivers?

Drivers of the yellow mini-buses (marshrutkas) have been on strike for several days demanding abolition of the status of individual entrepreneurs; improvement of working conditions; restoration of the dismissed workers and a reduction in work load.

Mteli Kvira asked the public to share their opinion about the drivers’ strike and their demands.

Singer Geno Nadirashvili doesn't support the strike. “Now they have to walk, use buses or metro which is bad,” said the singer adding that it would be better if the drivers decrease traveling fees.

Actor Dima Jaiani says Tbilisi Mayor’s Office should make a consensus and encourage the drivers. He said one of their demands is to decrease the transport cost from 80 tetris to 50. “It is very important,” he said, adding that the citizens of the Tbilisi cannot afford using marshrutkas. He thinks the drivers must be facing serious pressure if so many drivers go on strike.

“If the state takes care about everything, covers expenses, gives them good salaries, I would never approve the strike, but if a person has nothing he will of course go on a strike,“ poet Jansug Charkviani said.

Actor Imeda Kakhiani thinks the drivers should have considered the possible harm they would cause to the residents of Tbilisi. “I think the state should think about the drivers. As we know the drivers cover all their taxes themselves… I support their demands,” Kahiani said.



PIK TV’s new owner receives bonus from the budget

Liberali reports that the former Prime Minister Vano Merabishvili transferred GEL 5, 300 on October 3 and GEL 3, 300 on October 18, as a bonus to LTD PIK TV’s co-owner Darius Jurgilevichus after Parliamentary elections in 2012. The document Liberali received from the state chancellery reads that Jurgilevichus received a bonus as a part-time employee of the Chancellery. The order is signed by Merabishvili. Liberali says they tried to contact the press service of the United National Movement (UNM) several times to clarify the issue, but in vain. Several days after receiving the bonus, Jurgilevichus became the owner of PIK. His company created four-days earlier on October 29, 2012 held 60% share of PIK.

Upon the decision of the Board of Partners Jurgilevichus’ Shveissa Company took liability to invest GEL 1.5 million over the last 5 years. TV Company PIK managed Public Broadcaster’s (GPB) third channel called also PIK.