Thousands of miners in Chiatura, Georgia, are taking to the streets after the collapse of a major mining company left them jobless. They’re calling on the government to step in, but officials are pushing back.
Bankruptcy Sparks Anger and Uncertainty
The situation erupted after the Chiatura Management Company, a key contractor for Georgian Manganese, filed for bankruptcy on February 28. More than 3,500 miners suddenly found themselves out of work. For a town that heavily relies on mining, it’s not just a job loss — it’s a community crisis.
Wages were already an issue. The company had been struggling to pay full salaries for months, blaming global market price drops and plummeting profitability. When the bankruptcy hit, frustration boiled over into full-scale protests.
Miners aren’t just demanding their jobs back. They’re calling for state intervention to take control of the mining operations entirely. They argue that leaving it to private companies is a dead end. The protests show no signs of slowing down.
Government Stays Firm Against Nationalization
Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze made his stance clear: the state won’t be stepping in to run the mines. He called nationalization “fundamentally wrong,” insisting that Georgia’s mining industry needs to find its own way through the global economic storm.
He acknowledged the hardship but pointed to international market struggles affecting miners worldwide. According to him, state control wouldn’t fix the deeper financial realities causing the collapse.
It wasn’t the reassurance miners wanted. Tariel Mikatsadze, one of the protest leaders, dismissed the Prime Minister’s remarks. He argued that talk isn’t enough. “We need negotiations, not public statements,” he said, adding that Georgian Manganese must pull out of Chiatura entirely for the town to move forward.
A Fractured Community and Widening Discontent
The miners aren’t the only ones angry. Residents of Shukruti, a nearby village, have been accusing Georgian Manganese of damaging their homes and farmland for years — without compensation.
They say the company’s mining activities caused sinkholes, cracked walls, and ruined fields. Families watched their homes deteriorate with no sign of help or payment. The bankruptcy only deepened their sense of betrayal.
For many, the mining company’s collapse feels like a final blow after years of neglect. Local businesses that rely on the miners’ spending are feeling the pain too. The whole region is on edge.
Talks Begin — But Will They Lead Anywhere?
In response to the escalating unrest, the government pulled together the ‘Tripartite Commission for Social Partnership’ — a group made up of government officials, trade union representatives, and employers. They met on Thursday to tackle the crisis.
One agreement came out of the meeting: a working group will be formed to explore solutions. What those solutions will look like, though, remains unclear.
Miners want state control of operations, believing it’s the only way to secure jobs and fair wages. • The government insists private management is the only sustainable path. • Georgian Manganese hasn’t made any public commitments on how they plan to handle the bankruptcy fallout.
For now, the protests continue. Many miners say they have no intention of backing down until they see real action.
