Tbilisi club KHIDI closed and fined by the authorities for breaking Covid-19 rules
- PublishedMon, Dec 6, 2021, 17:25
- Words
- Share
- The incident, which took place last weekend, is detailed in a statement from the venue.
- Tbilisi nightclub KHIDI has been closed by the Georgian authorities, according to a statement from the venue. The statement, which was shared with Resident Advisor, said that KHIDI was ordered to shut as of December 5th in response to hosting its first club night in over 21 months, which took place last Friday. On December 1st, new regulations came into effect in Georgia, allowing other industries to operate normally using a green passport system. (The app, called the Green Pass, awards green status to people who can prove they are vaccinated, have a recent negative test or have recovered from Covid-19.) Stadiums, theatres, bars, restaurants and shopping malls were all permitted to open at full capacity and with usual opening hours. But the club sector, according to KHIDI's statement, was excluded from the economic reopening. The statement said that during Friday's event, representatives from the Labor Inspection Office, as well as members of the police, entered the club and verbally threatened a fine of 10,000 lari (around $3,200). Their reason, allegedly, was for hosting a "gathering of more than ten people." According to KHIDI, following the economic reopening on December 1st, this law is outdated and arbitrary. "The following day," the statement continues, "on December 4th, the police called club owner Tamuna Axander and informed her [that] the official 10,000 lari fine will be implemented and they will be sealing the club (which was new and not previously informed information)." Yesterday, December 5th, KHIDI was allegedly closed without representatives or witnesses present, which, the statement said, is illegal and violates the business rights of the owners. "KHIDI demands, firstly, the reversal of the club sealing, and secondly, the club industry to open officially alongside the rest of the nation on the Green Passport system," the statement concluded. "This action from the Georgian government is a clear attack against club culture and our efforts." In October, KHIDI hosted an official pilot event to determine the rate of Covid-19 transmission in nightclubs. The venue said the results were "groundbreaking," with only a ".5 percent spread rate from a total of 1,500 clubgoers." The hope was that this would lead to clubs being included in the reopening rules of December 1st. KHIDI also shared that Friday's event was open to Green Pass holders only. The party included sets from Generali Minerali, OTHR and Boyd Schidt. Read another statement, via KHIDI's Facebook, detailing the incident. Photo: KHIDI Facebook
- Fri, Dec 3, 2021
KHIDI 中 Boyd Schidt ❚ OTHR ❚ Vulkanski ❚ Yanamaste
Boyd Schidt, OTHR, Vulkanski, Yanamaste, Poly Chain, Saphileaum, Generali Minerali