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Political agenda in local self-governments

November 25, 2017
 
Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

First sessions were held in the recently elected municipal assemblies in all four municipalities in Shida Kartli region. The ruling party has the majority in all four assemblies and considering that the chairmen, deputy chairpersons of the assemblies and chairs of permanent commissions in the assembly were elected from the ruling political party.

Georgian Dream nominated Davit Leonidze as an assembly chairperson in Kaspi municipality that caused noise from the side of the opposition members. They, in protest, did not participate in the election of the chairperson. The members of the opposition parties, before leaving the session, said that Leonidze was a relative of the majoritarian MP from Kaspi municipality and before elections he had no connection with the municipality.

“GD shall nominate another person; anyone except Leonidze. This man had no connection with Kaspi at all,” said Nugzar Noniashvili, the member of the Assembly from the United National Movement. 

The ruling party continued the session with the opposition members and elected Davit Leonidze as a chairperson. The elected chair explained the protest of the opposition members with misunderstanding and hoped their cooperation with the opposition will be successful and will solve the problems in Kaspi municipality together.

The opposition members protested during the first session in Gori municipal assembly too. UNM members left the session when the assembly was to elect the chairperson; they said the reason of their protest was the results of the municipal elections according to which the members of the ruling party made up majority in the assembly. 

“We are not going to participate in this farce. Recent elections did not demonstrate the will of the electorate. The elections were conducted through violence, blackmailing and by the State Security Service. Considering that, we will not participate in the elections of the chairperson and leave the session in protest,” Beka Korchilava from UNM said. 

The assembly members from the Alliance of Patriots and Movement for Construction did not leave the session but did not participate in the election of the chairperson either. The only opposition political party who did not boycott the elections was the European Georgia with its two members.

Davit Razmadze was elected to the position of the Gori municipality assembly and Marlen Nadiradze will be his deputy. The members of the ruling party will chair the five permanent commission too. UNM and GD set up fractions in the assembly.
“We will act in accordance to the rules of regulations of the assembly and Code on Self-Governance, we will respect the law and execute the promises which we gave to our population,” the elected chairperson Davit Razmadze said. 
The 2017 convocation assembly of Kareli municipality is not a lot different from the previous assembly. Like in 2014, Ivane Ardemanashvili was elected to the position of the assembly chairperson. The same person was elected to the position of the deputy chairperson – Jumber Shubitidze. GD members were elected to the positions of the permanent commissions in the Kareli municipality assembly. UNM members did not participate in the elections of the senior officials in Kareli municipality and left the session. 

Zurab Kveladze, member of the Kareli municipal assembly from the Alliance of Patriots. “I was in the previous assembly too but the issues I raised were never addressed. I hope the new assembly will change its attitude towards the initiatives of the opposition members.”

“It is huge honor for me to be elected to the position of the assembly chairperson for the second time. It is a huge responsibility in front of the population. The assembly is collegial body and the opinions of all deputies will be respected,” Ivane Ardemanashvili said.

Khashuri municipal assembly has a new chairperson in 2017. Mikheil Janashvili was elected to the position and Davit Nozadze will be his chair, who occupied the same position during the previous convocation of the assembly. The members of the ruling party occupied the senior positions in the assembly. 

Nato Kikadze, Khashuri municipal assembly member from the European Georgia. “I learned problems of many people during the pre-election campaign. I am ready to raise their issues in front of the assembly and will also support all questions, which will be focused on addressing the needs of the local population and the municipality in general.”

Mikheil Janashvili, Khashuri municipal assembly chairman. “I am sure our work will be more successful than the previous assembly.”

In all four municipal assemblies in Shida Kartli region, the opposition members view their role as a guarantee of transparency and accountability before the society. 

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