Elections Requested at Kutaisi University

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

“University is apolitical organization and ongoing process and political changes in the country shall not influence it. It is awkward to speak about politicization of our university. Nobody was fired from university on political grounds,” rector of Kutaisi Tsereteli University Giorgi Gavtadze answered to a group of lecturers who request his resignation and prompt elections of a new rector at the university.

Giorgi Gavtadze, who has been interim rector at Kutaisi University since 2010, was only candidate at the December, 2010 elections; so he was elected for four-year term. Relation between him and the university lecturers deteriorated soon and reached culmination during pre-election period of 2012 parliamentary elections.

Lecturers complain about politically motivated oppression on their colleagues that acquired particularly frequent character during pre-election period.

“Division of employees according to their political affiliations at the university is not right. Employees were terrorized during pre-election process at Kutaisi University. They were compelled to attend pre-election meetings of the National Movement. Nobody asked them whether they wished to attend it or not. Those, who refused to go to meetings, were inserted in so-called black lists,” the lecturers said.

According to their clarification, if lecturers were inserted in the black list, they became targets of terror and intimidation which finally ended with firing from university. They recalled an example of Manana Mikadze, who represented Kutaisi office of the Georgian Dream.

Besides these accusations, they also speak about worsened academic level of education programs and quality since Gavtadze occupied the position of rector at the University.

“We met Rector Giorgi Gavtadze who does not admit his responsibility for the issues we raised. He denies accusation about politically motivated division of people and their dismissal from university. We have nothing against him personally. Simply, as we have realized it is useless to talk with him about some problems. So, we request to hold rector’s elections and to conduct both elections and education process democratically. University shall be independent institution and governed with democratic principles,” said lecturers of the university.

Soon they will appeal to the Minister of Education and Science of Georgia Giorgi Margvelashvili with the request to hold rector’s elections.