TBILISI, DFWatch – Georgian authorities have stopped paying compensation to families of people who were victim of Soviet repression, according to Giorgi Tsagareishvili, representative of the Free Democrats and chairman of the parliamentary bloc Unity for Justice.

Tsagareishvili asked finance minister Dimitry Gvindadze to clarify the issue Thursday at a plenary session in parliament to review the 2011 budget.

According to Tsagareishvili, the Finance Ministry has stopped paying even small installments defined by court, specifically 150, 200 and 220 Georgian lari.

In addition, court appeals about granting compensation have been suspended, according to the Free Democrats representative.

Georgian legislation leaves it up to courts to decide who should receive compensation for repression by the bolshevist regime.

Tsagareishvili asked the government to solve the problem.

“These people at least deserve that their compensation funds be recorded in the specific article in the budget,” he says.

Finance minister Gvindadze claims this is the first time he hears about the freeze in compensations payment.

Answering the call to enter a record in the budget for compensation funds, Gvindadze said: “This is not necessary, and the government will return to the issue foreseeing the reserve funds.”