"If the local self-governance reform bill is accomplished, it would certainly provoke the dissolution of Georgia. said the Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II during the liturgy at Sveticxoveli Cathedral on November 4.
The Patriarch, who has the highest rating as the most authoritative figure in Georgia according to the Caucasus Research Resource Center (CRRC) and National Democratic Institute (NDI surveys, mentioned that Georgian residents always were as the integrity and the new reform bill will lead the country to territorial breakdown.
"I want to appeal to our government and parliament for introducing the local self-governance reform bill to citizens and let them make a decision. The church should never be conformed to the dissolution of Georgia. To our mind, every region of Georgia should be connected with the government, and the latter should be informed that the residents of every village are needed. I want to request our government with big respect, please, think over this issue carefully. said Patriarch of Georgia Ilia II.
The bill for self-governance system was developed by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure and submitted to the Parliament for consideration. This 71-page bill bids to elect local self-governance bodies, including mayors, for a three-year term instead of four.
In addition, according to the draft of the bill, the towns with at least 15,000 residents consistently become eligible for the status of "self-governing city and the voters of these towns will be able to elect mayors. Conversely, the bill also makes it possible to grant the status of "self-governing city to those towns, where the residents amount is less than 15,000, if they have the urban attractiveness resources.
Nowadays there are nine administrative regions in Georgia. Those are: Kvemo Kartli and Shida Kartli (administratively breakaway South Ossetia is part of Shida Kartli region), Mtskheta-Mtianeti, Imereti, Guria, Samegrelo and Zemo Svaneti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Kakheti and Racha-Lechkhumi and Kvemo Svaneti. Adjara and Abkhazia, seceded region of Georgia since 1993, have the status of autonomous republic of Georgia.