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Gori Municipal Board Supported Version – “One Plus Five”

March 31, 2014
 
Lado Bichashvili, Shida Kartli

On March 27, there were five issues on the agenda of the special session at Gori municipal board. First issue referred to administrative-territorial optimization of the district. 25 board members attended the session. 21 of them voted for the initiative and four were against. With majority votes, municipal board adopted “one plus five” format of administrative-territorial optimization. 

After the poll, municipal board members said now it was parliament’s turn to pass final decision. Board chairman and district governor, who also attended the session, tried to convince board members in the necessity of establishing five municipalities within Gori district and noted that it would be real decentralization. They grounded their imitative with Polish form of self-governance. Members of opposition fractions had some questions, which finally turned into criticism. They claimed that instead decentralization separated districts will be easily ruled from the center.

Archil Sabiashvili, chairman of the fraction “Patriots”: “I did not support the format because this bill will not be passed. Our current situation does not allow us to realize this project. Two days ago commission and fraction chairpersons discussed the issue and decided not to vote for the initiative. We supported idea to separate the town from the district but not to divide the district in five parts. Today, at the session, the majority voted for the initiative. It means, there is no local self-government in the district, but local government is still ruled from the center. If the municipality is divided in five parts, it will not be local self-government, but separated, collapsed and failed central governance.”

At the session, board chairman and district governor gave preference to the format “one plus five”, whilst the opposition to the format “one plus one.” According to the pilot project, over 80% of the local budget [18 million lari] is spent on the town. But according to the optimization project, each district will have its own increased budget, which will be spent for the needs of villages of the district. Interim district governor Papuna Koberidze spoke about advantages of the initiative with humanrights.ge.

Papuna Koberidze, Gori district interim governor: “Majority appreciated the version. Board chairman and I also support territorial segregation of the district. It is real decentralization. If our priority is to protect interests of the population, format “one plus five” is the best option. First of all, it will hinder migration. Every municipality will have its own budget and problems will be resolved on the place. Budget will be increased in each municipality. More people will be employed under the format, which the municipal board voted for.”

According to the “one plus five” format, there will be Variani, Mejvriskhevi, Shavshvebi, Khidistavi and Karaleti municipalities within Gori district. Local populations will receive all service at local administrative buildings and service centers, whilst now they have to travel to Gori. Khidistavi municipality will unify five communities: Khidistavi, Ateni, Boshuri, Skra, Sakavre and Mgebriani. The municipality will have 56 staff members and four contractors.

Municipal board member Koba Tlashadze told humanrights.ge, that local self-governmental elections are approaching and it is late to discuss the issue. He voted for the format “one plus one” where Gori will be self-governing town and more than 100 villages will create separate municipality.

Koba Tlashadze, member of the fraction National Movement: “Unless the center interferes in the activities of local governments, self-governance will succeed in the format “one plus one” too. As for division of the municipality in five parts, we are not ready for it today due to several reasons: first of all we do not have relevant offices on the places, where municipality administrations will function; second – elected board members will be stationed somewhere and people will have to look for their administration or board; third – the issue is discussed when election date is already announced. Local elections will be held in two months and they promise to construct administration offices in five months. If we have five municipalities, total 300 people will be employed there and where will they be stationed?! Where will be their central office? This building [Gori district administrative office] will not place all of them. 

Davit Razmadze, chairman of Gori municipal board: “Both municipal board and Gori district single-seat MP support this format. We hope, the center will accept our initiative and the project will be implemented. Gori and Telavi are pilot districts and I think self-governments will be formed in both municipalities according to this format. It will be a huge step towards European values. It is real self-governance and decentralization. Central government has already allocated funds for five buildings, whose construction will cost 850 000 lari. Construction will finish in 4-5 months and by the end of the year every municipality will have its own office. Until then, they will be temporarily stationed in this and other buildings.”

The session had recommendatory character. The Parliament of Georgia shall pass final decision. The legislative body will start discussion of the administrative-territorial optimization issue from April, 2014.

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