Tbilisi Mayor: Vandalism is serious challenge that happens daily; investigation will determine the rest

“I have a rough idea of what happened, but in the interest of the investigation, it would be wrong for me to make an assessment,” Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze told journalists when commenting on an incident in a local park where a bench collapsed on a teenager.

According to Kaladze, the incident was the result of an act of vandalism.

“Vandalism is a serious challenge, which we have spoken about on numerous occasions. Not a day goes by without such incidents occurring, which is deeply regrettable. Everyone’s involvement is crucial to repeatedly explaining to young people how damaging this is. It is categorically unacceptable when teenagers deliberately destroy infrastructure. This is pure malice. We have extensive video footage, and we will certainly share it with the public. We must all unite, regardless of political views, because this affects every single person living in this city; we should at least engage in educational initiatives.

Furthermore, there are instances where teenagers are damaging infrastructure while adults standing nearby say nothing. There is nothing stopping anyone from stepping in and pointing out that this is wrong or that it shouldn’t be done. Everything that is built belongs to everyone, and we must all look after it.

As for this specific incident, I am deliberately not going into details because the investigation is still ongoing. I have a rough idea of what happened, but in the interest of the investigation, it would be wrong for me to make an assessment. This is not a case of a bench breaking from a single touch. My request would be to stop the manipulations and the spread of falsehoods. This was a specific act of vandalism, and unfortunately, many such incidents occur. In this case, whoever is found at fault will be held accountable,” Kakha Kaladze stated.

The Mayor added that Tbilisi City Hall conducts continuous monitoring and systematically replaces damaged infrastructure in recreational zones, parks, and squares: “Generally, when park infrastructure is deliberately damaged, or broken in any way, it is always followed by a proper response and repairs are carried out.”

In addition, Kakha Kaladze instructed the municipal press service to release specific footage of vandalism in public spaces to the media to ensure the public remains fully informed.