Transparency International Georgia analyzed administrative expenses of 9 state representatives in 2020, which in total amounted to GEL 5,182,978.

The following research comprises expenses of remuneration, bonus/award and salary supplements, as well as telecommunication expenses, business trips, fuel, vehicle maintenance and representation expenses of administrations.

Main Findings:

• The remuneration expenses in state representative administrations in 2020 amounted to GEL 4,297,151 which is GEL 49,459 more compared to the figure (GEL 4,247,692) in 2019;
• In the same period, GEL 65,920 was spent for salary supplements, bonuses and awards, out of which the biggest amount – GEL 56,370 comes from Kvemo Kartli administration;
• Administrations possess 80 vehicles in total, and GEL 270,017 was spent on their maintenance, which is GEL 17,834 more compared to the figure (GEL 252,183) in 2019;
• State representative administrations spent GEL 454,428 on fuel to buy 254,413 liters; The most amount was consumed by Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti administration as during the previous years – it was 46,327 liters which cost GEL 82,660; The most amount (9,868 liters) from the public officials was consumed by Zurab Nasaraia, the former state representative in Guria.
• Telecommunication costs amounted to GEL 47,442 in 2020 and GEL 19,628 was spent on business trips;
• State representative administrations spent GEL 28,392 in 2020 on representation expenses (food and restaurant service, beverage expenses and etc.).

“State representative” institution is in place from 1990s. The main function is to have a state representative in the municipalities, as well as to have coordination between the center and the self-governments. However, the existing practice clearly depicts that the influence of “state representatives” (governors in the past) on the region is quite high, sometimes they interfere in the work of directly elected mayor and city council and significantly limit their independence. In the conditions of low decentralization, “state representative” institution is an important tool for the central government to execute formal and informal control over municipalities.

The number of employees:

As of December 31,2020 275 people were employed in 9 administrations of state representatives. As of January 1, 2020 one more – 276 people were employed.

Remuneration:

• On remuneration GEL 4,297,151 was spent in the administrations of state representatives in 2020;
• In the same period, in total GEL 65, 920  was spent on salary supplements, bonuses and awards, where the biggest amount GEL 56,370 comes on Kvemo Kartli administration;
• In 2020, there was not any expense for salary supplements, bonus and award in Guria, Kakheti, Samtskhe-Javakheti, Mtsketa-Mtianeti and Shida Kartli administrations;
• The remuneration in 2020 is GEL 49,459 more compared to the figure in 2019, however the amounts of awards and salary supplements were reduced significantly;
• Award and salary supplement were only given to the Deputy State Representatives in Kvemo Kartli – Zviad Chunashvili and Kakhaber Koberidze. Chunashvili received GEL 10,050 as an award and supplement, whereas Koberdidze received GEL 4,000 as a salary supplement.

The information on the remuneration and bonuses of the public officials at the administrations of State Representatives can be found in the table.

Vehicles and their maintenance:

• The administrations of state representatives possessed 80 vehicles in total. 7 of them were deprecated in Samegrelo – Zemo Svaneti administration;
• The most, 12-12 vehicles are in the possession of Samegrelo – Zemo Svaneti and Imereti administrations of state representatives.
• In total, GEL 270,017 was spent on vehicle repairs.

Fuel:

• The administrations of state representatives used 245,413 liters (245.4 tons) of fuel in 2020;
• The total amount spent on the fuel is GEL 454,428;
• Most of the fuel, among the administrations of state representatives, as during the previous years, was consumed by the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti administration – 46,327 liters, which cost GEL 82,660 in total.

State representatives use from 400 to 1200 liters of fuel monthly. In 2020, among public officials, the most amount of fuel (9, 868 liters) was consumed by state representative in Guria – Zurab Nasaraia.

The information about fuel consumption by state representatives can be found in the following table.

Telecommunication and business trip expenses:

The administrations of state representatives spent GEL 47,442 on telecommunications in 2020. It is noteworthy, that the administration of state representative in Kevmo Kartli combined the expenses of cell, telephone, TV and internet, therefore the data below for Kvemo Kartli covers all this information.

For local and international business trips, GEL 19,628 was spent.

Representation expenses:

• The administrations of state representatives spent GEL 28,392 in 2020 on representative expenses, including on restaurant service and consumption of beverage for the office (water, tea, coffee).