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Presidential Representatives' Funds Are Abused

February 20, 2006

Presidential Representatives' Funds Are Abused

The Young Lawyers Association speaks about violations in the spending of funds of Presidential Representatives in the regions and has published the results of a related monitoring. According to the 2004-2005 report it became clear that almost in every region there are subjects that have received illegal funding. These funds, the establishment of which is not provided by law, are fed by money from the public budget and private donations and are formally established for societal development. Money is allocated to projects not through tenders, but private agreements.  

“There was not even one case of a tender in the six regions that were observed. All contracts were signed with one person.”

From the result of the monitoring it became clear that Gigi Ugulava, former Presidential Representative of Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti, has spent a solid sum of 300 thousand Lari on reconstruction works without announcing a tender. Goga Khachidze and Petre Tsiskarishvili created new type of contract, without stating the amount of money to be paid after the end of labour. Gia Getsadze, former Representative of the Imereti region, has spent 250 thousand Lari without a tender. A bridge which was repaired a year ago for 22 thousand Lari needs to be repaired again.

Shida Kartli is the region on which the organization could not get any information, as public information was hidden from them. “We sued the Shida Kartli administration because of hiding public information. In the decision of October the 8th, the authorities were ordered to give us the information, but after that the situation became only worse. Now administration does not even receive our claim.” - said Ana Dolidze, Head of the Young Lawyers Association.

According to the lawyers, money from the funds was usually not spent on its purpose. For instance, in stead of financing programs on development of local governance, the money was spent on Presidential Representatives’ rental fees, mono cards, office communication, transport, receptions etc. 
The organization states that in the opinion of the authorities, social programs are financed by the funds. The Young Lawyers Association though knows many cases when 5 to 10 thousand Lari of support was given out without any obstacle and people with grave diseases could not get a minimal amount of 500 lari.

“On September 22nd 2005, Gela Taturashvili, the father of five children, requested 1000 lari in order to get a house as he was left homeless. But he could not even get one thetri from the so-called ‘social’ fund. Also, people with serious diseases were refused help under pretext of lack of money, though the Council of one of the funds helped its own member Valeri Vardosanidze with 300 lari because of his worsened health condition” – the organization states.
The fact that these Representatives’ funds are institutions with unclear status became the reason for their closure. From January 1st 2006, they stopped functioning.

The Young Lawyers Association has sent the results of their report to the Ministry of Internal affairs and the General Prosecutor’s office in order to investigate the cases of abuse.


Anna Chkhaidze
Gela Mtivlishvili

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