Bureaus of Single-Seat [majoritarian] MPs from Adjara Autonomous Republic Do Not Identify Local Needs

Maka Malakmadze, Adjara

“Transparency International – Georgia” published a report on the Evaluation of the work of single-seat MP's bureaus in Adjara. Two of total 6 bureaus of single-seat MPs in Adjara – Kedi and Shuakhevi districts did not provide the nongovernmental organization with the public information. The survey showed that majority of bureaus does not identify local needs at all.

 

Pursuant to the Regulations of the Parliament of Georgia, “a single-seat MP’s bureau, expenses of which are covered from the Parliament’s budget in the amount of 5,000 GEL, is set up to organize work with the electorate, identify the problems of the local population, lobby the executive and self-governing authorities in favour of the needs of the population, and ensure the MP’s participation in resolving local affairs.”

The report of the TI-Georgia states that Letters were sent on October 1, 2013 to the Batumi, Khulo, Khelvachauri, Kobuleti, Keda and Shuakhevi single-seat MPs’ bureaus, requesting information about public meetings held with citizens by each single-seat MP or his/her bureau. The organization also requested a list of the initiatives submitted by single-seat MPs in the Parliament or Government based on the needs identified as a result of such meetings. In addition, we inquired about the number of employees in the bureaus and their salaries.

“The responses received demonstrate that the majority of single-seat MPs’ bureaus do not carry out needs assessments, but common problems are identified based on visits to the field or citizens’ written submissions. Some of the major concerns of the population of the Adjara Region still include employment, healthcare, pensions, and benefit payments to eco-migrants and socially vulnerable groups. Also of concern are legislative gaps concerning the registration of titles to land, the return of titles to encroached property and a lack of pre-school education institutions region-wide,” the report reads.

Bureaus provided incomplete information to Transparency International Georgia’s questions concerning the salary of employees of the single-seat MPs’ bureaus. “The bureaus of the Batumi single-seat MP Murman Dumbadze and the Kobuleti single-seat MP Pati Khalvashi requested TI Georgia to address the Parliament’s administration to obtain information regarding salaries. The reasons behind this referral remain unknown.”

According to the report, bureaus of single-seat MPs initiated only one draft-law at the parliament. It referred to the amendments to the Law of Georgia on Public Broadcaster, according to which Adjara Television should be established as separate legal entity.

It is noteworthy that bureaus of the Keda single-seat MP Iasha Shervashidze and the Shuakhevi single-seat MP Omar Megrelidze have not provided a written response or answered the telephones referred to on the Parliament’s website. Human Rights Center also tried to contact the bureaus but in vain. Phone numbers indicated on the official website of the Parliament of Georgia are unavailable. Special websites for majoritarian MPs (http://shuakhevi.majoritarian.ge/index.php; http://keda.majoritarian.ge/index.php) do not provide contact information either.