Transparency International Georgia (TI Georgia) has evaluated the activities carried out by the City Council of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality (hereinafter “City Council of Akhaltsikhe”) elected in 2021.

The report is based on the information requested and received from the City Council and that on the official website of the Akhaltsikhe Municipality, as well as on information on the official Facebook page of the City Council of Akhaltsikhe and the observations of our organization.

The reporting period of the study is from January through December 2023.

Main Findings

● During the reporting period, the City Council of Akhaltsikhe exercised weak oversight on the executive body. In most cases, the control on accountable public officials and individual agencies had a formal character;

● The City Council of Akhaltsikhe has sharply worsened the practice of releasing public information. At the time of preparation of the present evaluation, the City Council failed to provide us with information on the delivery of speeches by members of the City Council, as well as on their summoning the Mayor and other officials to the City Council and the written questions or proposals sent by them to the City Hall;

● The City Council of Akhaltsikhe has not identified any cases of incompatibility with public office, violations of the Rules of Procedure of the City Council or of norms of ethics, or conflict of interest. In 2023, the companies of 4 members of the City Council and their family members received GEL 6,480,666 from the public procurements of the Akhaltsikhe City Hall and its legal entities alone;

● With the consent of the City Council, in 2023 the Akhaltsikhe City Hall sold 8 non-agricultural land plots (with a total area of 790 sq. meters) through an electronic auction. Four of these land plots (623 sq. meters) were bought by a member of the City Council of Akhaltsikhe, as well as by individuals connected with other members and with employees of the City Hall;

● During the reporting period, the City Council held 14 sessions and supported all the 105 issues put on a vote. The only issue that the City Council returned to the City Hall with comments was the draft budget of 2024;

● Of 39 members of the City Council, 7 representatives of the opposition have failed to submit the annual report. In the report forms, the question on the number of initiatives submitted by the

member is missing. Only 11 members of the City Council have indicated a specific issue resolved with their involvement – 35 issues in total, although 15 of these issues coincide;

● 6 of the 22 public officials in the City Council of Akhaltsikhe have filled out the asset declarations with flaws;

● None of the 3 factions active at the City Council has submitted an initiative. A total of GEL 368,462 was spent on the activities of the factions;

● During the reporting period, the Gender Equality Council neither conducted an analysis of legal acts nor worked on the development of the system of monitoring on measures taken to ensure gender equality or prepared any recommendations;

● The City Council of Akhaltsikhe didn’t register a petition filed by TI Georgia;

● The expenditures of the City Council of Akhaltsikhe in 2023 amounted to GEL 1,223,706. Of this amount, a total of GEL 1,123,491 was given as salaries, salary supplements and rewards;

● During one year, the City Council consumed 33,251 liters of fuel with a value of GEL 89,199. Of this, 9,834 liters of fuel (with a total value of GEL 26,588) was consumed by the Chairperson and three Deputy Chairpersons of the City Council.