Businessmen assess the criminal situation in the country

TBILISI(BPI)- The crime situation has noticeably deteriorated in Georgia recently but  the Prime Minister explains the increase by improved statistics. Optimistic statements by the authorities cannot overshadow the trend – crime grows every year and puts business in the most difficult situation.

Businessmen  are talking louder that they do not feel safe, and often refuse to develop business.

 “Bank of Georgia”, “TBC-Bank”, mobile communication companies, electronics retail chains, supermarkets are just a small list of objects that are constantly being robbed.         The investigation, as a rule, goes superficially, and the criminals go unpunished. 

The  businessmen surveyed by Commersant say that the situation is worsening not  due to statistical methodology.

They say at the  company Megatechnica that compared with last year crime has increased significantly, and crimes are mostly committed by minors.

General Director of Beko household appliance stores network Mehmed Melek  also speaks about the increasing number of crimes. He says that  throughout the year Beko shops were robbed 8 times, the situation is   very unhealthy both for business and for the country as a whole.

 According to David Begiashvili, the Albatross company founder, Georgia has not seen such a rise in crime since the 90s, especially in the capital.

“The criminal situation has deteriorated sharply that will affect investments,” he says.

Founder of the electronics stores network Techno Boom Anzor Kokoladzerecognizes the crime  is rising but believes  it’s  natural and does not hope the situation will be  improved in the near future.

“This problem has existed  since the 2000s. We were robbed in 2005, our  employee was even killed. It happened in 2005-2007. Now we are facing the same problem  in 2018. The statistics are not too alarming, but everything that happens is very unpleasant,” he notes.

Georgia is a poor country with a very difficult social background that  causes the growth of crime.

“I do not expect the situation will change for the better in the coming years, ” Kokoladze points out.

cbw.ge