IDFI: PM's promise to raise mayors’, public servants' salaries affects election process
The IDFI says that the promise of Garibashvili to double the salaries of mayors, 'in conditions where the legislation does not restrict them from making such a decision independently, clearly points to the problems of decentralisation in self-governments'. Photo: Nino Alavidze/Agenda.ge.
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The Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) says that the recent statement made by Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili regarding the increase of mayors’, public servants' salaries starting 2022 'can be perceived as an attempt to have some influence on the election process'.
The IDFI says that the promise of Garibashvili to double the salaries of mayors, 'in conditions where the legislation does not restrict them from making such a decision independently, clearly points to the problems of decentralisation in self-governments'.
The IDFI explains that following the Law of Georgia on Remuneration in Public Institutions, the upper limit coefficient of official salaries of the mayors of the city municipalities is six (Tbilisi Mayor 8.5).
Taking into account the basic salary (1,000 GEL), the current legislation gives the mayors the opportunity to determine the salary with a maximum of 6,000 GEL upon their own submission and with the consent of the City Council. The mayor's salary in the municipalities varies from 2,600 GEL to 4,500 GEL (taxed amount of the salary varies from 2,080 GEL to 3,600 GEL). Consequently, none of the mayors of any municipality has used the opportunity allowed by law to determine their remuneration in the amount of 6,000 GEL", says the IDFI.
The IDFI says that the highest paid mayors, given the marginal amount, have the opportunity to increase their salary by about 30%, while the lowest paid mayors by about 130%.
Currently, the highest salary, which is 4,500 GEL (about $1,458/€1,243) is set for the mayors of Batumi, Rustavi and Gardabani municipalities, while the mayor of Tianeti municipality has the lowest salary of 2,600 GEL (about $842.79/€718.71).
The salary of the mayor of the capital city of Tbilisi amounts to 3,180 GEL (about $1030.79/€879.03).
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has summed up his 5-month term as PM while presenting the candidate of mayor for Tsalka, in Kvemo Kartli region of Georgia today and highlighted his achievements in combating the Covid-19 pandemic, stabilising the Georgian national currency lari and stimulating the Georgian economy.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has announced at today's government meeting that starting January 2022, 'we will gradually increase the salaries of public servants', while the salaries of the mayors are planned to be doubled.
Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili has presented his annual report, as well as the government’s 10-year development plan in the state legislature earlier today. Garibashvili said that the government’s goal is to increase GDP per capita to $10,000 over the next ten years and to decrease the unemployment rate to nine percent. He stated that the government will subsidise mortgage loans for families with children and boost support for policemen, soldiers and doctors.
Average monthly nominal earnings in Georgia increased by 53.5 GEL (4.4%) in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period of the previous year and amounted to 1,256.2 GEL (about $397.53/€327.83), reports the National Statistics Office of Georgia (Geostat).