GNERC to Move from Kutaisi Back to Tbilisi

Shorena Kakabadze, Imereti 

Georgian National Energy and Water Supply Regulatory Commission [GNERC] will move to Tbilisi. Representatives of the central government announced about it several days ago. GNERC, which was moved to Kutaisi in 2008 by the government for decentralization purposes, will return back to the capital.

Representatives of the central authority state they plan to introduce radical changes and innovations, which will significantly promote further development of the GNERC.

“It would be better if this institution will function in the capital together with other state institutions and not in Kutaisi. There is nothing tragic about it. As far as I know, they have some initiatives for future,” leader of the parliamentary majority Davit Saganelidze said.

Parliamentary opposition dislikes the government’s decision and states it will be another wrong step taken by the government.

Member of the parliamentary minority, former Kutaisi Mayor Giorgi Tevdoradze also protest move of GNERC to the capital. He said it is tragicomic decision of the government. “They have weak arguments to justify removal of the GNERC to Tbilisi. They claim it will have more chance of development in the capital than in Kutaisi. But they do not care about the fate of this city. I wonder what they plan about Kutaisi and local residents. What do they offer them for future development? I think it is not important for them; the main issue is to have all state institutions in Tbilisi in order to create comfortable environment for themselves. Removal of GNERC, as well as of the Parliament of Georgia, to Tbilisi is a serious mistake. It will start irreversible regress of Kutaisi.”

GNERC, Parliament of Georgia, Chamber of Control, Government House and other state institutions moved to Kutaisi from Tbilisi when Tevdoradze was City Mayor.

The government house was the first institution which the new government declared as functionless and closed down in November, 2012. Former government spent several million lari from the state budget on the construction of Glassy Palace of the government house in Kutaisi.