City Assemblies of Batumi and Khelvachauri Municipalities have registered petitions developed with the support of the Batumi branch of the Civil Society Institute (CSI).
Petitions – “Green districts to Batumi” and “Outdoor lighting to villages of Machakhela” were registered by initiative groups online in June.
“Green districts to Batumi”, the petition registered in Batumi, envisages the naming of green, recreational spaces in the city of Batumi, granting them a respective status and protection. It aims to ensure that there is a green environment, equally accessible for everyone, in all 14 districts of Batumi.
As for the petition registered in Khelvachauri – “Outdoor lighting to villages of Machakhela”, it concerns the provision of outdoor lighting for inner roads of highland villages of Khelvachauri. Machakhela Valley is one of the unique natural areas and an important tourist destination.
To date, the petition “Green districts to Batumi” has 721, while the petition “Outdoor lighting to villages of Machakhela” – 533 signatories. After collecting the number of signatures stipulated by law, the petitions were also registered by City Assemblies, which fact gave them legal force. Now, relevant services of the municipality are obliged to review the petitions within 1 month period with the participation of authors and make a decision within 15 days once the review is completed.
The Batumi branch of the Civil Society Institute, in cooperation with the organization Bread for the World (Brot für die Welt) and the Open Society Georgia Foundation, support civic activism and enhancement of citizen participation in the local decision-making process.