Tbilisi’s New Mayor Demands New Draft Budget

(TBILISI) – Tbilisi’s newly elected mayor, Kakha Kaladze, hit the ground running on Monday demanding that his deputies submit a new draft budget for the Georgian capital to better reflect the city’s needs for the coming year.

While speaking with his cabinet, Kaladze said that the existing draft elaborated under his predecessor, David Narmania, failed to address City Hall’s budget needs for new infrastructure projects and improved social service programs for the city’s residents.

The Mayor also announced a structural reform at the Mayor’s office and its agencies to make Tbilisi governance more “fitted to the residents’ needs and transparent.”

Kaladze also appointed new heads to oversee Tbilisi Transport, Architecture, Property Management Service and Kindergarten Management Agency.

The opposition European Georgia party has repeatedly appealed to the Mayor’s Office to reduce salary supplements and bonuses, as well as any other “artificial” expenses to save up toGEL 200 million (USD 74 million) from the city’s budget

European Georgia’s Goka Gabashvili claims the savings would be enough to provide a GEL 50 (USD 18.50) supplement for pensioners in Tbilisi, purchase 100 new businesses and reduce property fees by 10percent.

Deputy Mayor Irakli Khmaladze stated that the Mayor’s Office had already planned changes to the budget with Kaladze and his deputies are in constant communication with the Ministry of Finance.

The current budget for Tbilisi stands at GEL815 million (USD 301 million).