A working meeting was held in Borjomi Municipality from June 20-22, organized by the Public Defenderâs Office of Georgia. The meeting was dedicated to discussing issues related to the right to water, specifically addressing challenges concerning water accessibility and quality, as well as exploring solutions to these problems.
The event was attended by representatives of municipalities where the Public Defenderâs Office conducted working meetings and assessments on water accessibility and quality in 2024. Alongside the meeting organizers, welcoming remarks were delivered to the audience by Manana Narimanidze, Vice-President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG) and Mayor of Dusheti Municipality, and Nino Rukhadze, Executive Director of NALAG.
NALAG representatives expressed gratitude to the Public Defenderâs Office for organizing the meeting and emphasized the importance of direct dialogue during their speeches. According to Manana Narimanidze, the active involvement of local self-governments is essential in the preparation and discussion of the Public Defenderâs reports. She noted that direct, results-oriented communication is the best approach to addressing needs, including water supply issues, which can only be resolved through collaborative efforts.
In her speech, Nino Rukhadze highlighted that local authorities are best acquainted with the challenges that constitute the daily reality for citizens. She stated that local government leaders have the readiness and strongest motivation to address these issues practically and responsibly, which requires targeted coordination and adequate support.
NALAG representatives expressed hope that similar formats would continue in the future, contributing to the proper advocacy of priority issues.
The main part of the meeting was dedicated to the presentation of the Public Defenderâs special report, âRealization of the Right to Water in Georgia,â which outlined the key findings of the 2024 research, including problems with water accessibility and quality identified in various municipalities across Georgia. The presentation covered international standards, national regulations, challenges, and the Public Defenderâs recommendations aimed at resolving these issues.
The event continued in a discussion format, where municipal representatives openly addressed the reasons behind difficulties related to water services. Local government leaders emphasized that, in some cases, these problems cannot be resolved solely through local authoritiesâ efforts and require coordinated action with central authorities and other partners.
In summarizing the meeting, representatives of the Public Defenderâs Office noted that the discussion was valuable and beneficial for them, as the information received from municipalities helped provide a comprehensive understanding and identify the root causes of the issues. According to the event organizers, the next step will involve discussing the special report in the Parliament of Georgia, where municipalities and other relevant agencies will also participate. The goal will be to define mechanisms to effectively address the existing challenges.
The working meeting, which included leaders from the municipalities of Dusheti, Gori, Kareli, Khashuri, Tetritskaro, Marneuli, Ninotsminda, Akhalkalaki, Akhaltsikhe, Gurjaani, Dedoplistskaro, Sagarejo, Gardabani, and Bolnisi, as well as experts in relevant fields, was attended by Lasha Archvadze, Deputy Executive Director of NALAG.