Sakdrisi gold-mine to be examined before final verdict
By Thea Mariamidze
Friday, May 15
The Tbilisi City Court has reached a verdict after visiting Sakdrisi-Kachagiani, an archeological site that might be the world’s oldest gold mine before making a final verdict about the case.
The decision was made by the petition of claimants Kakha Kojoridze and Giorgi Gogochuri, who demanded the suspension of administrative acts issued on December 12, 2014, which gave permission to the investor company RMG Gold to dismantle and take down the territory of Sakdrisi mine.
The site will be visited by witnesses, experts and both plaintiff parties.
The Sakdrisi-Khachaghiani mountain-archaeological mine is believed to be the world's oldest gold-mining centre. A settlement from the Bronze Age period is also to be found on this territory.
In 2006, the mine was granted the status of cultural monument, but in 2013 the ministry of culture revoked the status of historical heritage from the mine and allowed RMG Gold to being working in the mine.
However, the court annulled the decision on June 16, 2014. The court said that the ministry violated procedures and made the decision to suspend the historical monument status of Sakdrisi gold mine without archaeological studies.
According to the defenders of Sakdrisi, despite the agreement between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Georgia and Germany about the study of the issue by an international scientific commission, the investor company RMG Gold launched the criminal destruction of the ancient mine.
They think that state agencies have not reacted adequately because there are potentially corrupt deals which have been made between the state and the investor.
RMG Gold said the charges against the company concerning the Sakdrisi Gold Mine were unfounded and absurd.
They sated that the site does not have cultural monument status and their mining activities are legal and do not destroy any cultural heritage.
Tbilisi City Court will continue the hearing of the petition on May 18.
