National Movement Speaks about Artificial Increase of Personnel in District Administrations

Nino Mshvidobadze, Guria

“They blamed National Movement for artificially increased personnel in public agencies. Now, look what is happening in the district administrations; how many people were employed there before elections,” head of the United National Movement’s Lanchkhutioffice Kakha Askurava told humanrights.ge.

Based on the official information obtained from the Lanchkhuti district administration Humanrights.ge found out that local government had employed 46 people this year; their salaries vary from 100 to 420 lari. We asked district interim governor Zaza Urushadze to clarify why labor contracts were signed with these people before elections.

“In the beginning of 2013, those people worked at the district administration based on the agreement and have nothing to do with the elections. We sign one-month labor contracts with everybody; if we see that district administration does not need their positions, we will not continue labor contracts. If somebody thinks that we need to increase personnel in the administration to gain votes in the elections, it is a mistake,” Urushadze said.

He added that attorney has six chief specialists in the city because he needed people during busy agricultural campaign in the autumn.

“Although Lanchkhuti is not a large city, those six chief specialists were appointed in different districts; it was necessary to add employees during busy time,” interim governor said and added that attorney had 12 assistants in the town. 

People complain about increased personnel in Ozurgeti district administration. Opposition members claim head of Georgian Dream’s election office Davit Darchia added new people in the district administrations; for example in Chaneti village, he appointed his relative to the position. However, Darchia categorically denied this information and claims it is absurd.

“First of all, the person employed in Chaneti is not my relative. I know him but he is not my relative. Second, it is not true that Georgian Dream adds personnel in the district administrations. It is rumors and nothing more,” Darchia said.