High bonuses still concern
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Thursday, June 19
Bonuses are still causing public concern. According to Kommersant, head of Tbilisi City Hall Irakli Shikhiashvili is to get a 350% bonus - that is 12,000 GEL - at the end of June, when he collects his 3,540 GEL monthly salary. The organization also claims that other officials of City Hall, as well as members of majority and minority factions, will also take 350% bonuses.
The fact caused dissatisfaction with government members as well. According to the coalition member Zviad Dzidziguri such facts cause a fair amount of irritation in the public and the issue should be regulated by legislation.
Fellow coalition MP Davit Saganelidze stressed that even the pervious leadership of the City Council would not have taken such noteworthy bonuses.
The Georgian Dream MP Tina Khidasheli stressed that for fulfilling duties officials take salaries and not increased bonuses.
Shikhiashvili had to answer all the speculation and present an official document reflecting precise figures of the distributed bonuses.
Shikhiashvili stated that the bonuses were given “justly”, as the members of City Hall have to work in a non-stop regime. He emphasized that 100% of the June salary of City Hall employees would be transferred to a charity foundation for those with cancer.
The document released by City Hall reads that Shikhiashvili received 8,496 GEL as a bonus in June. He states that his monthly salary is 2,800 GEL. His deputy Giorgi Muskhelishvili took 7,080 GEL and two more deputies Jaba Samushia and Giorgi Tkemaladze received 6,840 GEL each.
The opposition members of City Hall also took bonuses of 6,240 GEL each.
According to the document 243 employees in total received bonuses in June, 30 among them are officials. The highest bonus was 8,496 GEL taken by Shikhiashvili and the lowest was 800 GEL.
Opposition members of the Sakrebulo state that the issue of bonuses was agreed at the bureau sitting several days ago.
