Parliament is to restrict City Park’s power
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Friday, May 15
Parliament of Georgia aims to restrict City Park’s power over illegally parked vehicles.
The Tbilisi City Park, a company responsible for parking procedures in the capital since 2007, causes dissatisfaction amidst the Tbilisi leadership. However, according to Tbilisi Mayor Davit Narmania, suspension of a contract with the company will result in 20 million GEL fine for the Mayor’s office.
According to the new draft law initiated by majority Member of Parliament Zakaria Kutsnashvili, before launching the towing process, the company should inform the 112 service, a subordinate entity of the Ministry of Internal Affairs responsible for emergency situations.
City Park will also be able to tow the car only in the case of the absence of the vehicle's driver.
“If the car does not create emergency situation, it must be fined only with an administrative fine. Apart from the moral and material damages, they do not meet the requirements for towing and sometimes damage cars,” stated Kutsnashvili.
The MPs' initiative was viewed differently in Tbilisi City Hall.
Member of the United National Movement (UNM) party Irakli Abesadze stated that he believes the initiative is an attempt to distract the public from more pressing matters.
“The Government is just trying to shift people’s attention from more actual issues to less important ones,” stated Abesadze.
Member of the Democratic Movement – United Georgia, Shalva Ogbaidze, assessed the initiative positively.
“We welcome the new draft, it was needed,” stated Ogbaidze.
The Head of the City Park’s Communication Department Levan Tabidze stated that there are many vague details in the drafted legislation.
“Who will decide if the car is creating emergency situation or not? The drafted law needs to be improved before its adoption,” he said.
The current rules for towing a car are as follows: the vehicle is parked in a parking zone area without payment for more than 12 hours; the vehicle is without special registered papers and is parked in a parking zone for disabled persons; the parked vehicle is hindering traffic and jeopardizing traffic safety.
To reclaim a vehicle from the secured towing lot, the citizen should provide an ID card, registration card of the vehicle, and a payment order for 60 GEL (to be paid at a towing lot).
The companies Amagon and Shohan Parking Service won the tender announced by the Mayor’s Office in 2007. They merged and established the company City Park.
Through the memorandum signed between the City Park and the Mayor’s Office under the previous government, the company has exclusive rights to manage the parking services in Tbilisi up until 2022.
