Avlabari presidential palace to be used for public events, exhibitions, in addition to official ceremonies

Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze has stated that the Avlabari Presidential Palace built under the United National Movement government, will be used for official, high level ceremonies, exhibitions and public events.

The statement came after speculations in the media and by the opposition that two palaces, in Avlabari and on the Atoneli Street in Tbilisi, are being used by current President Salome Zurabishvili, which doubles expenses from the state budget.

The palace in Avlabari, will be used not only for high-level receptions. Exhibition and public events will be held there and each Georgian citizen and a tourist will be able to come and view the country’s cultural heritage,” Bakhtadze said.

He stated that the Avlabari Palace was built with budgetary funds and it should serve the public.

Presidential residency on the Atoneli Street. Photo: President's press office. 

I believe that both from the political and economic point of view, the decision will be beneficial,” Bakhtadze said.

Founder of the Georgian Dream ruling party Bidzina Ivanishvili was criticizing once his pick, former President Giorgi Margvelashvili for his decision to live in the Avlabari palace, as it boosted the budgetary expenses for the state figure [for the president] who was no longer a top official in the country based on the new constitution.

The new President Salome Zurabishvili [who was also supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party] refused to live in the Avlabari Palace and chose the historic building on the Atoneli Street in central Tbilisi as her residency.

However, it was announced earlier in the month that the Avlabari Presidential Palace has been renamed the Palace for Official Ceremonies and the president would receive high-level delegations there.

IPN news agency reported based on the Special State Protection Service of Georgia that more than three million GEL[which is more than one million USD] has been spent on two palaces over the past four months.

The agency says that the average expense for both residencies monthly amounts to 190,000 GEL (70,000 USD).