Rustavi City Budget Decreased at 4 Million GEL

Manon Bokuchava, Kvemo Kartli

In 2017, the Rustavi City Council approved the budget in the amount of 34 074 2 GEL while the last year budget was 38 877 3 GEL. The reduced budget impacted both infrastructural and social projects. Last year, the local government planned to spend 4 104 000 GEL on the social programs, this year only 2, 828 million GEL is allocated for the same purpose. The funds for infrastructural projects were also reduced: in 2016, 23, 729 million GEL was envisaged for the infrastructural programs while this year the local authority will spend only 12, 865 million GEL.

Representatives of the Rustavi City Hall state the funds for the abovementioned directions will increase throughout the year eventually.

“The social budget will increase eventually throughout the year based on the received applications. The social budget and social programs will be implemented without obstacles in 2017, like it was last year,” head of the public relations department at the Rustavi City Hall Tamar Akubardia said and added that the 2017 budget is “poor” because of several objective reasons.

“In comparison to the 2016 budget, this year budget is limited because last year the budget was filled in with the revenues from the property and land ownership fees accumulated during the previous years. Generally, the budget will increase eventually and the initial parameters will change based on the funds transferred from the central budget,” Akubardia said. 

Rustavi residents have little information about their city budget. The interviewed people did not know what the priority of the city budget is in 2017. They just wish to increase number of social programs and to rehabilitate the old squares in the city.

“I wish the local authority worked harder for the socially indigent families. There are some programs for them but not enough. You also see what the situation is in the city,” Tamar Maisuradze from Rustavi said.

The local Nino Vefkhvadze does not have information about the city budget either but believes it will be correctly drafted.

“Much was done in the city; it is impossible not to notice the improvements. Rustavi became more beautiful; now they should take care of squares in the suburbs too,” Vefkhvadze said.

Neither Kakha Abesadze has information about the city budget but believes nothing good will be envisaged for the city in it.