Update: On July 25 Adjara Supreme Council approved changes to the 2013 budget - funding increased for the Goderdzi resort, Healthcare Ministry, Environment Division and TV-Radio Department. 

It has come to our attention that the Supreme Council of Autonomous Republic of Adjara plans to introduce amendments to the 2013 Adjara budget, including increases to funding for healthcare projects and local government.

Article 49 (point 3) of the Election Code prohibits implementation of projects previously not included in state or local government budgets in the period between election date announcement and the end of vote count. Moreover, increasing funding for existing budgetary programs, initiating unplanned budgetary transfers or increasing the amount of planned ones is also prohibited during this period. In case of a violation an authorized person or entity can file a lawsuit and demand the spending be halted.       

Adjara budget is essentially a regional budget, meaning that it should be considered as a local government budget to which the regulations mentioned above also apply.

TI Georgia urges the Supreme Council of Adjara to refrain from making changes to the budget during the pre-election period.  However, we do not oppose one of the proposed changes, regarding funding for Adjara TV-Radio Department, which is an urgent matter and any delay would compromise the department’s existence. In addition, this particular change does not fall into the category of possible misuse of administrative resources for election purposes.

In case the Supreme Council chooses to go ahead with the proposed budget changes, TI Georgia will take the case to court and demand the spending be stopped.