Gela Mtivlishvili, Kakheti
Levan Bezhashvili was recently appointed as the Georgian President’s Representative to Kakheti region. Previous to this assignment he was the chairperson of the Parliamentary Legal Committee. The new governor intends to cooperate with local journalists and NGO workers. The first meeting with the representatives of civil society was organized last week.
-Mr. Bezhashvili, several candidates were discussed for the regional governor’s position. Why did the president select you for the position over others?
-You should ask this question to the president.
-Unfortunately, there is a lack of chance. Only TV journalists are invited to the president’s press-conferences and they are hand selected.
- They might have appointed me to the position of Kakheti regional governor because I originally come from this region. It is also likely because I more or less know the local problems in this region. We plan to implement some serious personnel changes in Kakheti region. I cannot tell you how long I will remain on this position. It will depend on how locals will appreciate my activities here. We expected to receive much more support from the Kakheti Region than we actually received during January 5 Presidential Elections.
-What kind of changes are you intending to introduce?
-Ramaz Khatiashvili, Sighnaghi District Governor, has already been removed from his job and others will also share the same fate. Several public officials will be moved in their positions and job responsibilities. Some of them might even be punished for their various deeds. We will also have new faces in government as well. I mean that there will better professionals who have more information about local problems. Simultaneously, we will study the general opinion of the region population towards local government. Leaders of the district branches of the National Movement will be shifted as well. As for ordinary staff of public institutions their reduction will be decided based on how well they have performed on the job. We are interested in setting up a team to work in the region We will start implementing our goals that are indicated in State Program “Georgian without Poverty” as soon as we are in place. All state mechanisms will begin working on the problems faced by the local population.
-Will Kakhetians find employment under the state program that you just mentioned?
-This program will be not only be implemented in Kakheti but the capital and other regions of Georgia as well It is evident that we are going to be job oriented. Various enterprises will be opened in the region where locals will be able to get jobs. We are working on other projects too; for example, to supply villages with gas and water. Local government had problem to cooperate with people and now things will be changed and the problem solved. District governors have been informed as to how they should act.
-Before this position you were the chairperson of the legal committee of the Georgian Parliament. As far as we are informed a draft law was submitted to the parliament based on how administrative offenders would be discharged from fines. Could you tell us more precisely about the draft law?
-this draft law deals with all kind of administrative fines, both paid and unpaid ones, as well as the fines which were not paid within the time-limit and was added with additional fine will be cancelled. We think that the amounts of fines were too large. The government has changed its policy we have chosen amnesty in light of the poor social conditions facing Georgians.
-And finally, what kind of relationships will you have with local journalists? Will it be possible to obtain public information from you?
-Regional administration should not avoid cooperation with journalists and NGOs in the future. I promise we will now have frequent and productive contract with media. The activities of the governmental bodies and all issues that you are interested in will be transparent. We will have periodic meetings with local media sources and NGOs. We will listen to the problems and try to resolve them.
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