On September 24, 2019, miners in Tkibuli began protest rallies. They demanded the reopening of the mines and the payment of wage arrears. The wage debt owed to about one thousand employees working in the “Saknakhshiri” mines amounted to nearly one million GEL.

By order of the Prime Minister of Georgia, coal mining at the “Saknakhshiri” mines in Tkibuli was suspended in the summer of 2018, after four miners were killed and six injured in the Mindeli mine on July 16. Earlier, on April 5 of the same year, six miners had died and three were injured in the same mine.

According to “Saknakhshiri,” since then, with the support of the company and the government, salaries had been continuously paid to employees, insurance costs had been reimbursed, and ongoing operational expenses had been covered. However, according to the same statement, later “Saknakhshiri” faced serious financial problems.

Eldar Chaphidze, acting director of the Mindeli mine, said that the shortcomings identified in the experts’ report were not difficult to address and that repair works had already been carried out in the mines.

Tkibuli miners met with “Saknakhshiri’s” general director, Jambul Jaqeli, who told them that negotiations were underway between the company’s representatives and the Ministry of Economy. Jaqeli promised the miners that they would be informed about the results of these negotiations by the end of the month. Despite this promise, about 40 miners spent the night of September 24 underground and went on a hunger strike, saying they would not come out until their demands were met.

The next day, the miners gathered in the center of Tkibuli. The protest rally was joined by Chiatura miners. They stated that, due to work, many of them could not come to Tkibuli, but all miners shared the spirit of protest. Chiatura miners and other industrial workers also released a video message expressing solidarity with the Tkibuli miners. Residents of the town also joined the protest, including market vendors, shop owners, and others.

Those gathered in the city center dispersed that day, but around 40 miners remained underground and continued their hunger strike in protest.

On September 26, the Minister of Economy, Natia Turnava, arrived in Tkibuli. She promised the miners that they would receive their salaries within a few days and that the mine would resume operations within a month. After receiving this promise, the protest was called off. On the same day, it became known that “Saknakhshiri” had ceased coal mining operations in Tkibuli, exited the market, and was replaced by a new investor, Steel International Trade Company.

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