NGOs: “Local Self-Governance Code weakens mayors institute”

Several Georgian non-governmental organizations claim that the Local Self-Governance Code weakens the importance of the mayor and gamgebeli (municipality head) institute. Transparency International - Georgia, Georgian Young Lawyers Association, and Fair Elections and Democracy release a joint statement.

The Code Project article #48 provides the regulations for non-confidence vote procedures for directly elected governors (mayors and gamgebelis). Non-confidence vote can be initiated by more than half of the Sakrebulo (city council) members, or 20 % of municipality registered voters. This resists the principles of Representative Democracy, according to the NGOs.

"For initiating a non-confidence vote for the gamgebeli (mayor), a small group of Sakrebulo members of 15-20 people maximum, will be enough. Moreover, the Code defines all bases when a non-confidence vote can be initiated. Sakrebulo can take advantage of this and use the right of a non-confidence vote against the gamgebeli (mayor) in case if they have a party-related or other kind of controversy. Besides, this rule of dismissal of directly elected governor resists the voters political choice. This can create a politically unstable environment. as written in the statement.

Under the suggested Code, the Sakrebulo has the right to initiate a vote of non-confidence several times during a local governors term.

"Therefore, a gamgebeli (mayor) will be dependant on the goodwill of sakrebulo members in order for the latter to prevent his non-confidence vote. This will influence the local governors decisions, the NGOs explain.

They also say that the goal of a direct election rule should be to involve the society in local-self-governance, and the self-governors to be independent. The NGOs suggest further discussions on the Code.