GYLA Criticizes Government Response to Snowstorm Crisis in Guria and Adjara
By Liza Mchedlidze
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
The Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) has issued a statement criticizing the Georgian Dream government for its response to the ongoing crisis in the Guria and Adjara regions, where heavy snowfall has caused widespread disruption. The organization claims that the government has failed to fulfill its constitutional duty to protect the health, safety, and lives of citizens during natural disasters.
"The population is having to deal with the heavy snowfall on its own. The efforts and measures taken by the local municipality are ineffective given the scale of the disaster," the GYLA statement reads. The association underscores that human life, physical integrity, and access to a healthy environment are fundamental rights guaranteed by Georgia's Constitution, and it is the state's obligation to provide citizens with timely and accurate information about the state of the environment.
The organization highlights that the government is obligated to assess potential threats from natural disasters and implement timely, adequate preventive measures. "The right to life obliges the state to take appropriate steps within its jurisdiction, which includes protection from threats that do not directly emanate from the state," the GYLA added.
The association also pointed to international human rights standards, noting that even when natural events are beyond human control, the state is still required to take measures to prevent loss of life during such disasters. "The European standard of protection of rights requires measures to be taken to prevent loss of life during natural disasters, even if the natural events themselves are beyond human control," the statement emphasized.
Despite these legal obligations, GYLA argues that the state has consistently failed to ensure effective prevention and management of natural disasters, leaving citizens vulnerable to threats that it is legally and ethically bound to address. The organization calls for more decisive action and for the Georgian government to take its responsibilities seriously to protect the public from the adverse effects of such crises.
