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No bonuses for MPs in 2013

Liberali reports that according to Parliamentary Chairman Davit Usupashvili, bonuses for MPs are connected with the orders of the budgetary parameters of the former government.

In a statement released by the Parliamentary Chairman, Usupashvili welcomed the increased interest of the media, NGOs and the public in the legacy of spending state budgetary funds. Stressing there is much to be done for improving the situation– even at the Georgian Parliament in this direction, Usupashvili said till the end of 2012, the Parliament had to follow the parameters established by the former administration, when, in particular, MPs or members of the Parliamentary administration used to receive bonuses twice a year every June and December.

Usupashvili’s statement reads that in reality it was not a bonus because the monthly salary of those MPs used to exceed 25%. Moreover, Usupahsvili said, when the number of MPs decreased in 2008, the money was still allocated for the 75 non-existing MPs and was distributed among the rest of the 150 lawmakers during the 4 years. “After approving the parliamentary budget for 2013, we changed this ugly system,” Usupashvili said, stressing that no bonuses are being considered for MPs. However, he said a special fund will be created for quarterly premiums according to the monthly salaries of each parliamentary staff member and the bonuses will be issued according to merit.



Three teachers removed on political grounds have been reinstated

Three teachers who were released from their positions on political grounds have been reinstated. Ekaterine Kardava, teacher at Gori public school N2, expressed her gratitude towards the commission that studied all three cases and added that if the Georgian government would not have changed it, no one would become interested in their problems. The commission sent an additional seven cases to the Ministry of Education and Science. These cases were not politically motivated. However, the commission considered that these teachers were removed illegally.

According to Liberali, out of 830 cases the commission has received, 630 statements have been studied. Deputy Minister of Education, Aluda Goglichidze said the commission has made a decision on 11 cases, but the process continues. He said the commission is studying the cases very attentively so that the chance of restoring the rest of the teachers is high.