Kutaisi City Hall Does Not Release Public Information

Shorena Kakabadze, Kutaisi

Members of the Kutaisi office of the Republic Party copied out the Article 40 of the Administrative Code of Georgia and put them up on the walls of Kutaisi City Hall. They protested the fact that local officials hide public information from society. Members of the Republic Party state that Kutaisi Mayor and officials have got used to ignore requests on public information.

“This article entitles an official to release public information within 10 days. Nobody should urge them for this information; however they have already got used to block public information. That means, they do not work very honestly though they claim it; this time we requested the information about the salaries of the employees at the City Hall. We think their salaries and bonuses have increased seriously. People have right to know the income of the mayor and other officials. According to our information they receive quite large bonuses in addition to their salaries and it does not happen once a year but once in two or three months,” said Nato Katamadze, head of Kutaisi office of the Republic Party.

Members of the Republic Party requested information about the sums spent on the reconstruction of the city. The reconstruction activities have been going on in Kutaisi for two months already and representatives of the local opposition parties state that huge funds are spent on it.

‘We could not receive information about the salaries and expenses of the reconstruction activities. Though, we know that much more funds are wasted than it is really needed,” said Katamadze.

Not only opposition parties face problems regarding the public information in Kutaisi. Head of the local NGO “ASA” (scientific-information association of Imereti Region) Zaza Kheladze said they have faced similar problems very often. “We have been waiting for the public information about the sums allocated for the rehabilitation of the water-system in Kutaisi but in vain. As usually they do not want to release information and do not do it. However, we want to know who is in charge of the implemented activities; whether they are professionals of not, etc. The fact that the work is not done by professionals is evident from the quality of their work. One and the same street was dug several times because of incorrectly installed pipes.”

Residents of Kutaisi still complain about the dug streets; the problem originated 18 months ago and people cannot move properly.

As for the Republic Party, their protest will not end with putting up Article 40 of the Administrative Code on the walls. They will bring suit to the Kutaisi City Court against the City Hall in near future.