GEO
On March 13-17, the first International Week on the Protection of Consumer Rights is being held in Georgia, organized by the Georgian National Competition Agency, the Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission, the Communication Commission, the National Bank of Georgia, the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia and the National Food Agency. Within the frame of the event, the regulatory bodies will discuss the reforms implemented in the direction of consumer rights protection, the obtained results, existing challenges, enforcement mechanisms, effective consumer awareness campaigns and international experiences.
"In 2022, the Parliament of Georgia adopted the Law of Georgia on the Protection of Consumer Rights, and the Competition Agency started the enforcement process from November 1. Accordingly, in 2023, the Agency joins the events held in this direction for the first time. It is important for each citizen to know their right, how to protect their rights, and, if necessary to whom to turn, and our main aim is to ensure a high level of protection of the rights of every citizen of Georgia, to define the legal bases of consumer rights and to promote a culture of behavior based on respect, which is a part of the obligation of the Association Agreement signed between the European Union and Georgia.
In the process of planning the week, we made a decision and held working meetings with students in different universities within the frame of the university-educational project “Start a career at the National Competition Agency”, which I think was very effective and interesting for both parties. We discussed in a joint format ongoing and completed cases, mechanisms for protecting consumer rights, and the benefits of the adopted law. Our goal is to promote the development of student’s practical skills and attract qualified staff in the sector of consumer rights protection. Within the frame of the project, three students of Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University- Nutsa Putkaradze, Mariam Dzhangveladze and Ani Samsian, who will undergo an internship in the Agency with the perspective of future employment”, - said the chairman of the National Competition Agency, Irakli Lekvinadze, and thanked the invited guests, students and representatives of the academic sector for their participation.
Within the frame of the week, the first meeting, university reception with students took place in the hall of Tbilisi City Municipal Assembly, where the followings gave a speech: Giorgi Tkemaladze, Chairman of Tbilisi City Municipal Assembly; Maia Melikidze, the Commissioner of GNERC; Member of the Communications Commission, Vakhtang Abashidze; Papuna Lezhava, Vice-Governor of the National Bank of Georgia; Ekaterine Tsereteli, Deputy Head of the Insurance State Supervision Service of Georgia; Vasil Kvernadze, Head of the Food Safety Department of the National Food Agency, and Heads of universities operating in Georgia.
The following activities related to the International Week on the Protection of Consumer Rights
• March 15, 12:00, Hotel Biltmore, with the participation of various stakeholders, the opening event of the week.
• March 17, 11:00, Batumi, Hotel “Hilton” Closing event of the week - meeting with customers and representatives of the local business sector.
The purpose of the events is to raise awareness and strengthen the quality of consumer rights protection in Georgia.
#beinformed #protectyourrights
