Tbilisi City 2016 budget to be 810 million GEL
By Tatia Megeneishvili
Wednesday, November 18
Tbilisi City Hall has approved Tbilisi Budget 2016 during its session on November 16. The total amount of upcoming year’s budget is 810 million GEL.
According to the Mayor of Tbilisi, Davit Narmania, some new projects dealing with social and ecological issues were added to the 2016 budget.
“Our main priorities are unchanged. We aim to improve the city. In total, the 2016 budget was increased by 65 million GEL,” stated Narmania.
The Head of the City Hall Council, Jaba Samushia, said that main reason for budget growth was the necessity of repairing (or rebuilding) damaged buildings.
“The 2016 budget was planed in a way that will meet every requirement of the city and its residents. All the fields that needed improvement were taken into account,” stated Samushia.
The United National Movement opposition party has several comments with regards to the budget. A Representative of the UNM in City Hall, Irakli Abesadze, stated that the funds are spent aimlessly, and it is necessary to carry out more infrastructural projects.
“Even though we offered them a good budget plan, the Mayor’s Office ignored it and made followed their own course. The only reason for an increase in the budget is due to their plan to increase administrative expenditures,” stated Abesadze.
According to him, the Mayor’s Office will spend additional 9 million GEL on its employees.
“Instead of increasing salaries of the people who really work and do a good job for the city, they decided to add salaries to those who are doing nothing at all. All Narmania thinks about is how to create a comfortable environment for Georgian Dream members and their families and relatives,” stated Abesadze.
The final decision over the 2016 budget will be made at the end of the month by the Tbilisi City Council. Until the decision is finalized and made, more discussions are scheduled to be held.
