The Committee held the second offsite sitting in Kvemo Kartli region, in Dmanisi Museum.

The sitting was attended by the Deputy Ministers of Regional Development and Infrastructure, State Trustee of Kvemo Kartli region, local authorities and municipal officials.

The parties overviewed the infrastructural projects in the region and got cognizant of the ratification document.

At the beginning of the sitting, the Chair of the Committee, Sozar Subari welcomed the attendees and stressed the importance of Kvemo Kartli region: “It is the region dignified with its nature, economic advantages, history and the unique co-existence of various religious and ethnic groups. We are here, in the city of Bolnisi not to hear about the projects undertaken but to hear from the local authorities what can else be done and what the challenges are”.

The Deputy Regional Minister, Mzia Giorgobiani introduced the Letter-Agreement of the Change N3 to the Financial Agreement between Georgia and EIB (Water Infrastructure Renovation Project II), envisaging the extension of the transfer term of the last tranche to June 30, 2021. The project has already been accomplished and 3 projects are currently in progress.

The Chair dwelt on the importance of water infrastructure projects noting that 2,6 bl. GEL will in total be consumed in 2020-2025 in this direction.

The Committee approved the document and discussed the Bills on Local Municipal Code and Development of Mountainous Regions.

The parties heard information about the civic engagement in the municipal activity introduced by the Deputy Chair, Eka Sepiashvili.

Development of the highlands is one of the priorities included in the Governmental and Parliamentary agendas. The development of highlands and creation of the respective socio-economic environment is being ensured through various measures, such are business facilitation and establishment of preferences, provision of the local personnel – doctors and pedagogues – with the supplements, and establishment of the incentives for the demographic improvement. “157 ml GEL was consumed from the budget in 2019-2020 for the preferences. 20 ml GEL is allocated for 19 municipalities and 14 ml GEL is being consumed on agriculture. Besides, 10 ml GEL will be consumed for the infrastructural projects in the highlands”, - she noted.

She dwelt on the civic engagement in the municipal activity stating that the Municipal Code envisages the civic engagement mechanisms – petition, attendance at the municipal sittings, reporting by the Mayors and Assembly members to the population etc.

The reporter introduced the new initiative concerning the thematic inquiry on civic engagement in the decision-making process. According to her, the thematic inquiry will help the Committee to better realize the problems and challenges in this direction and to find the solutions.

The First Deputy Regional Minister, Ilia Begiashvili introduced information about the works implemented in 2020 in the region by “Foundation of the Projects to be Implemented in the Regions” and projects for 2021.

The Foundation implements smaller but important projects as evidenced by the statistical data, namely:

• Bolnisi – 15 projects, 5.9 ml GEL;
• Gardabani – 12 projects, 6 239 k. GEL;
• Dmanisi – 13 projects, 3 347 k. GEL;
• Tetritskaro – 5 projects, 4 472 k. GEL;
• Marneuli – 10 projects, 6 ml GEL;
• Rustavi – 13 projects, 9 433 k. GEL;
• Tsalka – 6 projects, 4 804 k. GEL.

The reporter introduced information on each of them. According to him, 1065 projects have been altogether implemented countrywide in 2020 consuming 360 ml GEL – 99.7% of amounts. The reporter dwelt on the agricultural projects, mountain foundation, unified water supply company and road department activities.

The Director of the Municipal Development Fund, Giorgi Shengelia dwelt on the construction of the education, cultural, tourism and sports infrastructure works by the agency.

The State Trustee of the region, Shota Rekhviashvili and Mayors of Municipalities estimated the information heard and discussed the problems. They stressed the granting of the mountainous status to certain villages and the preferences, water supply problems and the absence of the respective infrastructure, as well as road rehabilitation etc.

Kvemo Kartli Single Mandate MPs Gogi Meshveliani and Nino Latsabidze underlined the importance of the offsite meetings as it allows personal meeting with the local authorities about the problems and solutions.

S. Subari summed up the discussed issues and noted that the offsite meetings have become a tradition implemented within the oversight function of the Committee.

“At the offsite meetings, we get cognizant of the problems and projects, we hear information from the Single Mandate MPs, municipal bodies, Mayors and Chairs of the City Assemblies. Today, the meeting was very productive. We heard information about the works in Kvemo Kartli and the problems requiring a rapid solution, including water projects as the majority of the villages of the region have never had a necessary water infrastructure. Today, hundreds of millions of GEL are consumed to supply 24-hour water to every family. The region also has a great tourist potential and this direction shall be developed. The region has immense economic powers giving the unique opportunity to make the region a locomotive”, - he stated.