After the appointment of Tea Tsulukiani as the Minister of Culture, the large-scale staff purge has been ongoing in various structural units of the Ministry continues. Such a statement made Nino Dolidze, Executive Director of International Society for Fair Elections and Democracy [ISFED].

“On November 1, another wave of reorganization in the National Agency for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage ended, as a result of which 25 people became victims of gross violation of labor rights, hostile work environment and neglect.

Over the 2021, the National Agency for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage was reorganized twice - some of the employees were fired at the beginning of 2022, and some lost their jobs in October as a result of the second reorganization.

ISFED calls upon the Minister of Culture to stop the illegal dismissal of employees and to bring the personnel policy of the Ministry within the framework of the law and good public administration.

The most disturbing thing is that it is professionals who are fired, and this threatens the protection of not only these people, but also cultural heritage, because when professionals are fired, cultural heritage and the field in general remain in the hands of people who do not have knowledge in the direction. This is a very big problem”, - said Nino Dolidze.