City Council Approves Tbilisi Budget 2019

Tbilisi City Council (Sakrebulo) approved the budget of Tbilisi 2019 after Tbilisi City Mayor Kakha Kaladze presented an annual report at Tuesday’s sitting.

37 MPs voted for the draft budget but the opposition did not attend the session as a sign of protest, saying the budget was not appropriate.

The final draft approved by the Sakrebulo reads that the budget of Tbilisi will be GEL 927.6 million ($348.3 million) next year, which is GEL 10.8 ($4.05m) million more than the 2018 city budget.

The budget for infrastructural projects next year is GEL 357 million ($134.07m), GEL 18.3 million ($68m) more than the approved indicators of 2018.

Social and Health Care will be financed with GEL 327.9 million ($123.1m), GEL 20.8 million ($7.8m) more than the previous year’s approved budget.

GEL 75 million ($29.67m) will be added to the Tbilisi budget, which means that during 2019 the budget will exceed one billion GEL.

The Sakrebulo also approved the draft amendment to the budget according to which the budget revenues will increase by GEL 170 million ($63.84m) and comprise 1.869 billion GEL ($701m).

The Tbilisi Mayor said at the session that 38% of the budget will be spent on infrastructural projects.

"Next year's budget will exceed GEL one billion. This will give us the opportunity to implement more interesting projects for Tbilisi. 38% of this budget will be spent on infrastructure as there are many streets and districts that need to be regulated and renovated,” he said.

He highlighted that the healthcare and social field will get GEL 20 million ($7.51m) more financing next year.

“Over 35% will be spent in the healthcare and social direction. Unfortunately, there are still many vulnerable families in Tbilisi who need the support of the government and the Sakrebulo. Accordingly, the budget has been increased by 20 million GEL in this direction," said Kaladze.

Next year, City Hall also plans to build 11 new kindergartens in the capital.

Opposition United National Movement MP Levan Khabeishvili, who left the session in protest, says the Mayor is biased, adding no matter what notes the opposition has, the “majority makes decisions favorable to the ruling Georgian Dream (GD) party.”

Tbilisi Sakrebulo Chairman Giorgi Tkemaladze thanked the Mayor and municipality representatives for the work done in 2018.

"The report which was presented by the Tbilisi Mayor clearly illustrates how large scale works and reforms have been implemented in the capital this year,” he added.

This was the third time Kaladze has been to Sakrebulo this year to sum up the activities of the Mayor’s Office.

By Thea Morrison

Image source: Tbilisi.gov.ge