Gakharia urges employers to pay salaries to Tkibuli miners

Georgian Prime Minister Giorgi Gakharia, speaking at the government meeting today, raised the issue of miners' protest in Tkibuli.

"Today we start the meeting by discussing the recent developments in Tkibuli, which are absolutely unacceptable.

However, he noted that these problems have accumulated over years. "Every investor and employer should keep in mind that they are obliged to fulfill their financial and wage obligations as well as to create appropriate working conditions for each employee, which of course implies full compliance with labor and technical safety standards," Georgia Today cited him as saying.

The miners' protest was sparked on September 24 in Tkibuli, a mining town in west-central Georgia, Imereti region. Up to 30 workers went on strike in the Mindeli and Dzidziguri mines, claiming that they would not leave until they received their salaries.