Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze promised that the authorities will have the opportunity to learn the details of the investigation into the Shovi tragedy in the coming days, one year after the incident.
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"Even today, I promised the mourners that we can organize a meeting in the next few days where all interested parties will learn about the details of the investigation, including the opportunity to hear from experts. If there are additional questions, we will address them as well. I have already made a promise that such a meeting will definitely take place in the near future," Kobakhidze said when asked by journalists why the investigation was not completed.
Today, Irakli Kobakhidze was at the show along with the Speaker of Parliament Shalva Papuashvili, Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze, members of the Cabinet of Ministers, and representatives of the legislative and local authorities. According to the government administration, the Prime Minister spoke to the family members and relatives of those who died in the tragedy that occurred a year ago and once again expressed his condolences.
It is planned to build a temple named after the 13 Assyrian fathers and erect a memorial to the victims of the natural disaster at the site of the tragedy.
"Today, it is our duty to show maximum attention and sympathy. There are specific requests regarding the arrangement of the area, which are important to the government, and everything will be done to fulfill them. A temple will be built here as a small gesture of sympathy toward the people whose family members died," Kobakhidze noted.
A year has passed since the Shovi tragedy, in which 33 people died. The body of one victim has still not been found. The Imereti Police Department is conducting an investigation under Article 116, Part 2 (causing death by negligence) and Article 240, Part 2 (violation of safety rules during mining, construction, or other work) of the Criminal Code. Even after 12 months, no one has been held accountable.
Based on the National Environment Agency's report, it was practically impossible to predict the exact time of the disaster in Shovi, and an alarm system could not have effectively prevented the consequences.
The journalistic investigation by Mtis Ambebi revealed that the disaster in Shovi had been anticipated for decades, as indicated by dozens of documents, qualified studies, geological maps, and natural disaster records. Nevertheless, there was not a single evacuation plan, board, or sign in the resort area. Due to the authorities' criminal indifference, the dam on the Buba River, which could have saved the vacationers at Sunset and before which all the inhabitants of Mamisoni's cottages died, was not fully constructed. After the disaster, the rescue operation was uncoordinated. There was no protocol, the rescuers lacked necessary equipment, and the critical first hours were wasted. People were left to face death alone. The rescue operation began several hours late and was stopped at dusk on August 3. Throughout the night, no helicopters flew, no rescuers worked, and no drones were used. Proper investigative actions were not carried out, and the bodies were transferred to the morgue without mandatory procedures, making it impossible to determine the exact cause and time of death.
