Some 100 shop owners are demonstrating today outside the Akhalkalak Regional Administrative Building, demanding that recent fines levied against them be nullified.

One of the demonstrators told JNews: “They fined me four months ago. I have a   food stall and also sell small metal items. They fined me 48,000 Lari. I don’t know why and neither do they. I took the matter to court in Tbilisi and am still awaiting a decision. I won’t open my shop until the matter is resolved. I won’t celebrate New Years, but neither will I open the shop.”

The new site also reports that a delegation of the business owners will be meeting with Georgian Finance Minister Nodat Khaduri to convey their grievances. They will also raise immigration issues at the meeting.

The shop owners say they will remain at the site during a hearing scheduled today regarding the fines to take place in the Akhalkalak District Court.