Mayoral Candidate Promises Abolition of Contract with C.T. Park Company

Independent Mayoral candidate of Tbilisi Alexander Elisashvili has made a promise that if he were to be elected, he will abolish the contract with the capitals parking regulatory company– C.T. Park, with the majority of Tbilisi residents saying they are unhappy with their services.

The contract between the City Park Company and the Mayor’s Office was signed under the previous government in 2007, and the company received exclusive rights to manage parking services in Tbilisi until 2022.

However, the service costs and regulations have raised various questions amongst locals, who disapprove of the company, saying it has high fines and unfair conditions. 

The Current Mayor, Davit Narmania, has also stressed on numerous occasions that he is also unsatisfied with City Park, and has explained that the agreement cannot be cancelled as, according to the international auditing company Ernst & Young, the annulment of the agreement will cost the Mayor’s office 25 million GEL in expenses, which is a huge sum for Tbilisi's budget.

Elisashvili has claimed that it would be better to pay the 25 million GEL fine, rather than put up with the extremely high C.T Park fines. The politician believes that parking should be a municipal service, and should be governed by City Hall until a new tender is announced.

“In the case of me becoming Mayor, the first thing will be the abolition of the contract with C.T. Park. After that, an international tender will be announced, which will have three conditions: paying the fine to C.T. Park, setting up adequate infrastructure and the initiation of a parking system in the capital,” said Elisashvili.

Thea Morrison

Photo source: RFERL