Georgians seek lift out of malaise

Residents of a high-rise apartment block in Georgia have started charging for the use of the communal lift. A coin machine has been installed in the elevator and the cash raised is spent on maintenance.

The years since independence have not been easy for Georgia. Economic collapse and instability meant that for over a decade the high-rise apartment blocks of the capital Tbilisi fell into a sorry state of disrepair.

But some Georgians have come up with an ingenious way of maintaining normal living conditions – the coin-operated lift. The fare is five tetri – about two American cents.