Levan Ioseliani, the Georgian Public Defender, visited the striking miners in Chiatura to get acquainted with the situation on the ground.

The Public Defender noted the strikers are not pursuing radical measures and are willing to reach an agreement, even though they expect the same level of commitment from the other side.

“We are aware of their demands and engaged actively in this matter. We try to facilitate an agreement between the parties involved. We aim to bridge the gap and ensure that labour safety conditions align with international standards,” stated Levan Ioseliani.

Recently, the employer, Georgian Manganese, released a statement, offering its employees to stop protesting, resume work and determine the bonuses and benefits of the employees based on the economic efficiency based on the outcome.

The statement of the Georgian Manganese also mentions that the company expresses its readiness to continue the mediation process and agrees to sign a mediation agreement based on the achieved result.

The miners’ protest in Chiatura has been ongoing for ten days. The protesters demand a wage increase, improved working conditions, adherence to labour safety rules, enhanced hygiene standards, and better provisions for food-related concerns.