First Deputy Head of State Audit Office quits
By Gvantsa Gabekhadze
Tuesday, October 3
Deputy Head of State Audit Office Nino (SAO) Nino Lomjaria, who previously served as the head of International Society For Fair Elections and Democracy NGO, has resigned after the placement of a new chief in office.
She did not explain the reasons for stepping down and said she was ready to consider any interesting offer.
"My friends, I am not working in the State Audit Office any longer. I am grateful for the extraordinary experience I have received in this service. I thank the former general auditor who gave me full confidence and freedom, all the professionals who I worked with, international organizations and donors who always supported us, NGOs, media and political parties,” said Lomjaria.
Lomjaria was Deputy Head of State Audit Office when Lasha Tordia was heading the Office, who has recently been replaced by Irakli Mekvabishvili.
Tordia presented Lomjaria as his deputy in November last year.
During the presentation, Lomjaria stated that the State Audit Office is one of the most transparent bodies which has been successfully trying to introduce international standards.
The SAO presents findings to Parliament on the activities of government entities and thus promotes their accountability to Parliament and the general public.
The Parliament of Georgia elected a new Auditor General in the form of Mekvabishvili last month.
Georgian Parliament Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze presented Mekvabishvili’s candidacy to head the State Audit Office.
At that time, Mekvabishvili promised he would make sure the Office becomes "more efficient, flexible, transparent and independent”.
Since 2007, Mekvabishvili has been a Senior Banker at the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
Media reports that another deputy auditor, Devi Vepkhvadze, also quit the post.
It is being speculated that the only deputy auditor who will retain his post will be Nodar Javakhishvili, the ex -Minister of Infrastructure who chaired former billionaire Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili’s Cartu Bank before coming to politics in 2014.
