100 Day of Self-Government in Gori

Saba Tsitsikashvili, Gori

After the parliamentary elections of October 1, 2012 governors of Gori, Kaspi, Kareli and Khashuri districts resigned. Before resignation, Kareli district former governor Ilia Burjanadze said financial police officers started inspection of his office. In all other cases, the district governors said reason of their resignation was new political reality and cohabitation.

Gori district governor Davit Khmiadashvili quitted his job on November 30, 2012; before that, member of the municipal board Giuli Samkharadze told us Khmiadashvili was going to quit position based on his personal decision.

Later on, chairman of the municipal board Temur Khachiuri explained the reason of the governor’s resignation by new reality in Georgia after the victory of a new political power – Georgian Dream- in the parliamentary election. “We should normally cooperate with the new government and act in accordance to the new reality,” said Temur Khachiuri.

Soon, chairman of the municipal board and his deputies also quitted positions. Leader of the Gori office of the Christian-Democratic Movement became the new chairman of the board.

“Chairman of the municipal board Zviad Khmaladze was not going to put up with the new reality for a long time. On December 20, he held an ordinary bureau session but on December 21, two hours before the session, he wrote resignation letter. 23 board members, majority of whom represented the National Movement during the local self-governmental elections of 2010, elected Davit Razmadze, from Republic Party of the Georgian Dream, to the position of the board chairman. Several days later Zviad Khmaladze was elected to be the head of the Fraction National Movement in the municipal board.

Davit Razmadze of the Republic Party did not carry out mass changes in the municipal board. He changed only head of the office and appointed Zaza Naskidashvili to the position. He did not hide that he had been friends with Zaza Naskidashvili since studentship.

As for the district administration, Papuna Koberidze replaced Davit Khmiadashvili on the position; he dismissed every deputy governor and appointed his team member Zaliko Gudadze to the position of first deputy; Zaza Aduashvili and Nino Tsetsvadze are also deputy governors.

Appointment of Davit Gorgisheli to the position of head of infrastructure service at the district administration caused noise. He is a relative of local MP Tamaz Shioshvili. Gorgisheli said complaints against him will be acceptable if he fails to implement his duties properly. It was his reply to the regional governor Andro Barnov from the National Movement, who said it was alarming that relatives of the MP Tamaz Shioshvili occupy positions in the district.

Regional governor Andro Barnov presented a list of 27 people to journalists, who were dismissed from the municipal board and local public agencies on political grounds. Former employees of all four districts were on this list.

On January 8, 2013 district Governor Papuna Koberidze invited governors of 27 villages in Gori district and asked them to write resignation letters. We attended this meeting but village attorneys did not say anything. Later, head of legal service at the district administration Rezo Gogiashvili admitted that Mereti village governor Vasiko Tevdorashvili had complained about dismissal during our absence but he had asked him to keep silence at the meeting – “I suggested him to be silent because there were video and photo materials which proved that Vasiko Tevdorashvili participated in the pre-election campaign and breached the law. Unless he wrote resignation letter, we would have to deliver those materials to law enforcement bodies,” Rezo Gogiashvili said. Finally, Mereti village governor resigned.

Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association spread special statement about the amendments in local self-government after the elections.

“Following 2012 parliamentary elections, some concerns have been noticed in the regions in terms of change of high officials of local self-governing bodies (Gamgeoba, local council). According to the disseminated information, some modifications are normal, while there are certain instances when substitution of power is implemented under secret or clear pressure. In addition, some newly appointed high officials exceed their authority, thus making negative influence and straining situation in the country,” the statement of the GYLA reads; the organization calls upon the government to examine the cases and to react adequately with a view to ensure protection of human rights, rule of law and inadmissibility of discrimination with the political sign.