In June, initiative groups, with the support of the Batumi branch of the Civil Society Institute (CSI), registered online petitions at City Assemblies of Batumi and Khelvachauri Municipalities.
The petition – “Green districts to Batumi”, registered in Batumi, envisages the naming of green, recreational spaces in the city of Batumi, granting them an appropriate status and protecting them. The purpose of the petition is to make sure there is a green environment, equally accessible for everyone, in all 14 districts of Batumi.
Within the framework of civil monitoring, members of the group identified green areas in all 14 districts of Batumi, which met standards of a square, park or alley, but did not have an appropriate status and required improvement. A total of 106 such areas were identified.
Initiators of the petition and members of the monitoring group are: Nino Lomaia, Aza Gabunia, Levan Khujadze, Kristine Gurgenidze, Dariko Shainidze, Giorgi Bolkvadze, Davit Khiladze, Tatia Katamadze, Nino Chkhaidze.
The petition – “Outdoor lighting to villages of Machakhela”, registered in Khelvachauri, 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.
Authors of the Khelvachauri petition are young people living in Machakhela Valley: Mariam Kakhidze, Niniko Kosolidze and Nika Kosolidze.
To support these initiatives, there is an intensive information campaign ongoing together with initiators of petitions, supported by a number of local citizens.
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.