Salaries Were Increased in Municipality Boards and Public Officials Started to Drive Luxurious Cars

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

Public Officials from Gori have taken it upon themselves to increase their salaries and they have started driving luxurious cars. Before that Davit Kirkitadze, leader of National Movement, the leading party, decreased the salaries of the officials from self-government bodies and even made reduce their standard to driving inexpensive cars. However, the shoe is now on the other foot and it is making hay whilst the sun shines. For example, last year the personnel of the Kutaisi City Hall was fired because of their lifestyles and personal” welfare” Following this,  public officials in Gori took notice and reduced their salaries to the lower limit and even kept their finer cars out of public view. 

However, that was then and today things have changed. In 2008 salary of Zviad Khmaladze, the chairperson of Gori Municipality Council was increased to 2,300 GEL. In 2007 Marlen Nadiradze, former chairperson of the Municipality Council and friend of Irakli Okruashvili, former Defense Minister, had a salary of a meager 1 100 GEL. Nadiradze reduced his salary after Davit Kirkitadze called upon district governors to cut their salaries. All this happened in March of 2007

As for the salary of Gori District Governor, his salary is now 2,500 GEL. Former governor, Vasil Makharashvili, who was detained on September 12, 2007, had a salary 1,200 GEL.

In other districts in Shida Kartli Region, public officials did not keep their salaries in secret with the exception of Giorgi Arevadze, who works in the administration of the Kareli District Governor.

Chairperson of Khashuri Municipality Council receives a salary of 2,360 GEL; his deputy has 830 GEL. As for Khashuri District Governor has 2,478 GEL and his deputy receives 710 GEL.

The same is the situation in Kaspi district. The chairperson of Kaspi Municipality Council has 2,360 GEL and his deputy 820 GEL. The District governor has a salary of 2,480 GEL and his deputy 710 GEL per month.

Officials from the Kareli District Administration stated that they could not provide the Human Rights Center with similar information without permission of District Governor’s. Thus, the center should submit official request under freedom of information public. However as far as we know for now, the salaries are the same in Kaspi district too.

In the current budget the expenses for the salaries of the personnel in Gori District Administration has increased from 88,000 GEL to 117,000 GEL.

District governors drive to their offices “Mercedes”; and personal cars are provided for the chairperson of Gori Municipality Council as well as the district governor.

Employees of the Gori Municipality Council state that the salaries were estimated according to the president’s decree which states that the higher limit of the salary should be 2,500 GEL and the lowest limit is 135 GEL. District administrations within Shida Kartli region used the maximum limits for salaries for their administrative staff.