Categories
Journalistic Survey
Articles
Reportage
Analitic
Photo Reportage
Exclusive
Interview
Foreign Media about Georgia
Editorial
Position
Reader's opinion
Blog
Themes
Children's Rights
Women's Rights
Justice
Refugees/IDPs
Minorities
Media
Army
Health
Corruption
Elections
Education
Penitentiary
Religion
Others

Opposition members did not vote for Gurjaani district 2015 budget

December 30, 2014
 
Lela Khechoshvili, Kakheti

Gurjaani district budget was approved without the support of opposition members. The main financial document of the district for 2015 amounted to 9 961 400 lari. It revealed prior fields for funding which are social and infrastructural fields. 2 055 600 lari was envisaged for infrastructural projects and 1 182 600 lari for social ones. Members of the United National Movement did not attend the session, when the draft budget was discussed. Neither Free Democrats voted for the budget.

Free Democrats protested increased office costs and called it “budget for salaries”. The opposition members of the municipal board believe the budget is not designed for population.

“It is very good to raise salaries but not only for the employees of district administration and municipal board. Rise in salaries and economical progress must be everywhere,” member of the Free Democrats Gia Shaoshvili said.

Leader of UNM Fraction Nika Nizharadze said, about ten million lari is accumulated in the budget but not a single lari from it will be spent on the welfare of at least one family. Their fraction boycotted the budget.

“Our fraction did not support the budget. We think we could have more reasonable plan for the expenditure part of the budget. There is a years-old dance studio in Gurjaani which grew up many young dancers. I think this studio, “Gurjaani”, is one of the most successful companies and they requested 57 000 lari from the local budget; they requested funding last year too but this year the municipal board reduced their budget instead increasing. If the local authority had a kind will, it was possible to get additional funding for them. I could not see this will and realized that it was not necessary to support the budget at all. Funds were not allocated for street dogs either, though this problem has been very urgent in Gurjaani district for years,” chairman of the Free Democrats local office Dato Chuniashvili said. 

“As usually, the opposition does not support the budget. I think everybody must be satisfied with the approved budget,” chairman of the financial-budget commission Giorgi Amisulashvili said and added that this year the budget was increased at 800 000 lari and it pays particular attention to pre-school education institutions for children. Salaries of 430 kindergarten teachers will be increased at 25-30%.

Social welfare is another priority of the next year budget and its funding increased at 97 000 lari. Funding for culture, sport, religion and infrastructural programs were also increased. More than 7 million lari will be spent on all projects together from local and central budgets.

Social packet pays particular attention to healthcare. Representatives of local self-government state they will fund child-birth and assist socially indigent population with medicines. 

News