Issue of Export of Agricultural Products from Marneuli Solved

Baku / 23.04.20 / Turan: On April 23, the implementation of the agreement of the residents of the Marneuli region of Georgia with the governor of Kvemo Kartli Shota Rekhviashvili, the mayor of Marneuli Zaur Dargali and the representative of the Ministry of Environment and Agriculture of Georgia Tengiz Kalandze should begin.

Marneuli is populated by Azerbaijanis who grow and sell agricultural products. However, due to quarantine, they cannot export products to Tbilisi. Marneuli residents held a rally demanding the opening of checkpoints and the lifting of quarantine in the Marneuli municipality. Azerbaijanis blocked the central road between the village of Shulaveri and the city of Marneuli. After meeting with the authorities, the Marneulians agreed to stop the protest.

Rekhviashvili, Kalandze and Dargali promised residents that local products would be fully sold. Yesterday, trucks and representatives of the company that bought goods from the population and exported it arrived there. However, the Marneulians also demand an increase in purchase prices, since the Georgian company offers a price 2-3 times lower than last year.

Tbilisi’s attitude towards the protest of Azerbaijanis was aggravated by political demands made at a rally in Marneuli. Some protesters chanted the name of former President Saakashvili, and the ex-president’s supporters, deputy Azer Suleymanov (the United National Movement party) and ex-deputy Ahmed Imamguliyev (the European Georgia party) attended the rally.

The politicization of economic demands led to a response in the capital. Former parliament speaker and executive secretary of the ruling Georgian Dream party, Irakli Kobakhidze, during a plenary session of the parliament, accused the opposition of organizing the rally in Marneuli.

“This is a very serious act, this is a crime, and we must warn them not to play with fire,” Kobakhidze said.

Suleymanov and Imamguliev deny their involvement in political slogans. -0-