Gori Municipal Board Members Miss Sessions, Do Not Meet Electorate but Receive Salaries

Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

Monthly salary of the municipal board members was increased from 150 lari to 500 lari, but it was not enough motivation for them. Report produced by the Gori district organization of the Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association states that part of municipal board members miss board and commission sessions not to say anything about meeting with electorate.

There are 29 members in the Gori municipal board. Last year, all 29 members attended the session only twice – in September and in October. Afterwards, you can find a lot of “absent” notes in the registration journal. Board member from Karaleti village Aleksandre Mezvrishvili is the “record-holder” in missing the sessions; he has not attended any sessions for the past six months.

Representatives of the Gori municipal board say they cannot contact Aleksandre Mezvrishvili, and supposedly he has left Georgia. Regardless the fact, municipal board has not discussed his case in accordance to the Article 32 Part II1 of the Organic Law of Georgia on Local Self-Governance, which states: “If board member misses sessions for inadequate reasons, the board has authority to suspend his/her authority.”

Aleksandre Mezvrishvili attended the session only once throughout the year. Board chairman Davit Razmadze, his deputy Zurab Rosebashvili and other board members have also missed several sessions.

According to the Report of the GYLA’s Gori office, board members very rarely meet the electorate.

According to the public information requested from the Gori Municipal Board, board chairman Davit Razmadze has not met electorate at all. Aleksandre Mezvrishvili has not met electorate either. Other board members have met people 2-5 times. According to the report, deputy chairman Zurab Rosebashvili has met the electorate most often – eight times. 

Chairman of the GYLA’s Gori Office Keti Bebiashvili said 500 lari reimbursement is sort of salary for board members that is not correct. They can receive reimbursement for their meetings with the electorate and participation in some activities. Bebiashvili said according to the law, budget can cover only similar expenses for the board members.

Board Chairman Davit Razmadze spoke about those reasons, why the reimbursement for board members increased: attendance at municipal board and commission sessions,  meetings with population and raising problems with the municipal board chairperson and district governor.

“500 lari reimbursement was approved by the president. We created document based on the president’s decree. As for my meeting with population, I meet about 30 person every day,” Davit Razmadze said.

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association hopes the new municipal board will consider their report and recommendations and will not encourage low activity of the board members.