Ombudsman: Toys on Georgian Market Pose Threat to Children’s Health

Georgia’s Public Defender (Ombudsman) Ucha Nanuashvili says that toys on Georgian market are dangerous for children’s health.

Nanuashvili applied to the parliament of Georgia with a request to take proper measures to ensure safety of toys on the Georgian market and protect the health of minors.

The Public Defender was informed that the NGO, Centre for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, purchased dolls of ten different brands at Georgian shops and sent them to Germany to check their safety in an accredited laboratory. According to the results received from Germany, a number of harmful substances were found in nine out of the ten dolls.

The ombudsman’s statement unfortunately says that Georgian laws will only come into line with new EU Toy Safety Directive in 2019. 

Nanuashvili believes that, given the results of the examination carried out by the Centre for Strategic Research and Development, it is necessary for the government to take measures immediately and implement the EU Toy Safety Directive before September 1, 2019, in order to protect the best interests, health, and safety of minors.

“The Public Defender addressed the Government with a recommendation to respond to the results of the examination carried out by the Centre for Strategic Research and Development of Georgia, to plan measures for regulation of legislative and institutional frameworks under the Toy Safety Directive obligations before 2019 and to take effective steps for supervising the market in order to protect minors’ rights to life and health,” Nanuashvili says in the statement.

By Thea Morrison