Tbilisi city budget faces 25 million GEL deficit
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, August 28
The Tbilisi Mayor’s Office budget deficit has reached 25 million GEL. A statement concerning the issue was made by newly-elected Mayor Davit Narmania on August 27. He stressed that the current budget is being amended to recover the deficit. In the case of failure, the city administration will have to take a loan.
The mayor admitted that there is no money for healthcare and social programs.
“We are trying to allocate money from other projects and directions to ensure healthcare and social services. We have prepared and presented a budget draft concerning the amendments,” Narmania said.
The mayor does not exclude charging former administration officials over the budget related issues.
If the Mayor’s Office fails to cover healthcare and social expenses, they will have to ask permission to the central government for a loan.
Statements concerning the deficit were being made shortly after Narmania took office and familiarized with the situation there.
Governor of the Nadzaladevi region Zaza Gabuania accused the previous city administration in misspending budget money.
“The former Tbilisi administration had a very irresponsible attitude towards the budget. Currently we are facing problems due to their activities,” Gabunia said.
The United National Movement (UNM) responded to the allegations. Member of the UNM Tamaz Shoshiashvili stated that there were no violations in the spending of money from the budget, as the current budget was confirmed under the new government, where social expenses were reduced by 107%. Shoshiashvili said that compared to 2013, Tbilisi regions received 10 million less in financing for 2014.
The 2014 Tbilisi budget is 785 million GEL.
