Georgian Dream Members Occupy District Governor Positions in Adjara

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara

New district governors have been elected in the Shuakhevi and Khelvachauri districts of Adjara. Both are members of the Georgian Dream Coalition. The outgoing governors resigned, claiming that their decisions were based on family problems and their own personal reasons. They declined to provide comments on the situation. Chairmen of the municipal boards in the aforementioned districts do not exclude the possibility of the former governors having been coerced.

On January 8, Shuakhevi district governor Nugzar Amaglobeli tendered his resignation  to the municipal board. Following the board’s decision, he left his position on the same day. On January 9, new candidates for the position were nominated.

Only one application was submitted for Shuakevi’s vacant district governor position. A member of the Georgian Dream’s election office, Tamaz Davitadze, was nominated for the position by the board faction Our Shuakhevi. 

At the next day’s board session, Tamaz Davitadze was elected to the position of Shuakhevi’s district governor with a unanimous 19 votes. “A new government has taken office, so we should give it the chance to use its power. We are not going to oppose their candidatures,” said Murman Abashidze, chairman of the National Movement faction of the Shuakhevi municipal board.

Members of the Shuakhevi municipal board said that cohabitation was successful in their district. “It is result of nonpartisanship. Overall support for the nominated candidates proves it,” said Tariel Katamadze of Our Shuakhevi.

It is noteworthy that as a result of the Parliamentary Elections and Elections of the Adjara Supreme Council on October 1, 2012, the United National Movement won the most votes in Shuakhevi.

Khelvachauri district governor Guram Saparidze also resigned, citing it as a personal decision. His application was submitted to the municipal board on December 28. Four people applied for the vacant position, but the municipal board approved Levan Lortkipanidze with 17 votes. It is worth noting that five members did not attend the board session wherein the candidates were discussed. Prior to his election, Lortkipanidze was chair of the Georgian Dream’s Khelvachauri election office.

On January 4, a demonstration was held in front of the Kobuleti district administration to demand the district governor’s resignation. However, governor Tengiz Zoidze says that he is not going to leave his position. “The municipal board is responsible for my appointment and resignation, so I am not going to resign yet,” Zoidze stated.

Representatives of the previous government occupy district governor positions in three out of five districts in Adjara. The local populations have not yet requested their resignations.