Ruling party says it used ‘legal opportunity’ to approve 2022 budget in five municipalities

The ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party says that it has used the opportunity ‘ensured by the law and the state constitution’ to approve the 2022 budget in five municipalities, in some of which its party members will no longer control the local city assembly following the recent October municipal elections. 

• Zugdidi, Batumi municipal budget approved amid opposition’s protest

The GD lost its majority in seven out of 64 city assemblies in the October municipal elections which include Batumi, Zugdidi, Martvili, Chkhorotsku,Tsalenjikha, Rustavi and Senaki. 

• Ruling party loses majority in 6 out of 64 Georgian municipalities

 Members of the 2017 convocation of city assemblies in Batumi, Zugdidi, Senaki, Martvili and Chkhorotskhu approved the 2022 municipal budget before the first session of new city assemblies which is scheduled for December 3. 

In four of the five municipalities the GD no longer has the majority in city assemblies. 

The opposition has accused the ruling party of taking an ‘illegitimate step’ and ‘disrespect to voters.’ 

Sozar Subari from the GD, however, says that the ruling party acted in accordance with public interests. 

We took the step as the radical opposition, which is always focused on causing unrest, would have tried to reject the budget draft which would hamper the activities of local bodies and delayed a number of infrastructure and other projects crucial for the local population,” Subari said. 

He stated that the newly elected members in the city assemblies will be able to control how the budget money is spent.