Press Digest 23.06.2014
The Government’s PR service must be dissolved – Soso Tsiskarishvili
By allowing themselves to enjoy these flagrantly boosted bonuses and fringe benefits, our high officials are simply abusing their power -- Amiran Giguashvili
What made former parliamentarian and financier of the Nationals’ projects commit suicide?
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The Government’s PR service must be dissolved – Soso Tsiskarishvili
"I would blame the low voter turnout at the recently held elections on our people’s indolent nature as well as our low sense of responsibility. In the present state of play, it seems beyond belief that our Government has a PR service. They could definitely have held a better PR campaign and could have taken more effective and aim-oriented steps; however, as it seems, the leading party simply ensured itself that winning in the elections was not a big deal and they would have easily achieved this aim; precisely with this in mind they decided not to bother themselves much to gain their people’s support and goodwill, “declares expert Soso Tsiskarishvili in his interview with the Kviris Palitra gazette.
“We should keep in mind that a government is dragged backwards without a PR campaign; pursuing a head-in-the-sand policy and permanently having yourself against the wall when your opponents attack you does really speak well of you. Today Georgia really cannot boast about its politicians – we do suffer from a deficit in experienced and qualified politicians. I do hold strongly that they must disband the present PR team and must take in foreign specialists…However, it’s a fact that even foreigner giants will find it cumbersome to look through to Georgian’s psychology without cooperating with their Georgian colleagues,” maintains the respondent.
“Our Government’s immensely bold decision to establish a high election threshold is by all odds worthy of appreciation. By doing this, they clearly showed that their talks regarding democracy are not mere words; they proved that they can translate these words into deeds by taking a huge step towards democracy. I think that in the run-off, our voters will exert more strenuous effort to prevent an unworthy candidate from winning a seat in the elections. If we cast a glance on the existed candidates, we will easily deduce that Mr. Narmania, who is a humble economist with a high sense of responsibility really stands a chance of besting his political rivals,” contends Mr. Tsiskarishvili.
“I would like to express gratitude to Mr. Ivanishvili for adopting Mr. Margvlashvili as his presidential candidate and for standing by him. A president who is not associated with one political force only and who is moved by a desire to represent his people at large is really beneficial for a country. Margvelashvili’s political importance is incrementally increasing despite the fact that certain political powers are grappling with him. And in my mind this confrontation is triggered because of our Government’s inaptitude to act as an independent entity,” states the expert.
“As it appears, our Government has not managed to get rid of Ivanishvili’s influence thus far. This can be regarded as natural; however, as soon as it engenders certain problems and jeopardizes the country’s safety, we must instantly sound the alert. Otherwise, by keeping silent, we will commit a crime before our country. Likewise, they are committing a crime by banning the High Executive from summoning a Security Council. By doing this, they are committing an antinational deed. Moreover, they also desire to propose amendments to the constitution to let the PM preside over the body. All right, we do know that our state is governed by a constitution which is totally geared to Saakashvili’s whims; however, even Saakashvili’s mind did not prove to have such a morbid fantasy, to completely strip the President of his functions and rights,” concludes the respondent.
By allowing themselves to enjoy these flagrantly boosted bonuses and fringe benefits, our high officials are simply abusing their power -- Amiran Giguashvili
"The culmination of the scandal that has been whipped up recently and has not been lived down thus was a charitable act – The Head of Tbilisi City Hall has donated his 300 percent bonus to the “Monk Andria’s Fund.” As for refining the bonus distribution system, they have outlined a new plan at the public service bureau; the plan is intended to be introduced to the PM on June 30. Reportedly, they have also invited a German expert for this purpose; however, they have abstained from giving any further details regarding the issue. As for lawyers, they claim that the law on giving our bonuses was drafted long ago; but if the high officials refuse to be honest and poised enough to observe it, nothing will obviously be changed in our country for the better,” reports the Rezonansi gazette.
“By all rights, a special team must be handling the bonus distribution issue by presenting us with trustworthy reasons proving that this or that official really deserves to enjoy the granted pecuniary benefit. They must present the Head of the body, a Minister, for instance, with these documents; and without his approval, the issues like this must not been resolved. As it appears, not all officials, abide by this law in our country. For instance, the Tbilisi City Hall deputies have refused to raise this issue neither in the Bureau nor in the City Hall. They have simply indulged themselves in making an arbitrary decision. Official reports say that on June, 2014, they granted a huge bonus of 8496 GEL to the Tbilisi City Hall Head, Irakli Shikhiashvili, while the first deputy head of the body, Giorgi Muskhelishvili enjoyed a bonus of 7080 GEL; as for other members of City Hall, they also refused to take more that 7080 laris. The recently released information on Ivanishvili’s move to distribute bonuses to our Ministers also sparked outrage from our public,” the article says.
“By Ivanishvili’s order, on March 15, 2013, they established a monthly employment benefit of 4335 GEL for each Minister; however, they promised the people that the practice of gifting the Ministers with fringe benefits would be annulled. However, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) has promulgated official information received from the Ministries saying that in 2013, the officials of 14 Ministries enjoyed bonuses of 5.729,131 as well as the employment benefits amounting to 3.135,038 laris,” reads the paper.
“Last year, our Ministers were granted bonuses and employment benefits as follows: Defense Minister Irakli Lasania – 83,076 GEL; Minister of Reconciliation and Civil Equality, Paata Zakareishvili – 50,885 GEL; Minister of Culture, Guram Odisharia – 50,045 GEL; State Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration, Alexi Petriashvili - 49,267 GEL; Minister of Environment Protection, Khatuna Gogoladze 47,935 GEL; Minister of Infrastructure, Davit Narmania – 47,685 GEL; Minister of Corrections – 47,685; Minister of Refugees and Accommodation, Davit Darakhvelidze – 47,685 GEL; Justice Minister, Tea Tsulukiani – 47,685; Energy Minister, Kakha Kaladze – 47,685 GEL; Minister of Sports, Lean Khipiani – 47,685 GEL; Minister of Foreign Affairs – 43,350; Minister of Agriculture, Shalva Pipia – 42,525 GEL; Minister of Education Tamaz Sanikidze – 25,034 GEL,” reads the paper.
“The law on public service does not specify how often they can distribute bonuses to this or that official; however, this does not mean that they must take this step every now and then. As it appears, within the City Hall, the majority as well as the minority unanimously admitted that these bonuses must have been issued. I wish they were always so compatible when it comes to other issues … bonus is a sum of money that is granted to an employee in addition to regular pay, usually in appreciation for the well-done work, length of service, accumulated favors etc. They must not be granted to them at each and every festival…By allowing themselves to enjoy these flagrantly boosted bonuses and fringe benefits, our officials are simply abusing their power. And as you know, according to our Criminal Code, this offence is punishable; an offender accused of misfeasance in public office must be sentenced to around 3 years in prison. And if the Government wants to eliminate this immoral and corrupt practice, it must definitely punish the offenders,” maintains Amiran Giguashvili.
What made former parliamentarian and financier of the Nationals’ projects commit suicide?
"Former parliamentarian Temur Charkviani was found dead in his house. As reports go, he shot himself in his own flat, in Tbilisi, on Kobuleti Street. He was Construction Minister till 2004. However, as soon as Mikheil Saakashvili’s band came into power, he left his office and took on private business. Many were surprised when he decided to stand by Saakashvili, but as it turned out later, he was coerced into taking this step. As Mr. Charkviani’s relatives maintain, the bank loans prompted him to commit suicide. He went bankrupt after losing his property of several million USD,” reports the Kronika gazette.
“As his relatives allege, Mr. Charkviani was forced to invest money in the construction of different structures in Signagi, Batumi and other cities. He was a founder of the construction Company “Tbilisi”. In 2008, he also entered parliament – it was Saakashvili’s method to have his “cash cows” near him. He did the same with Maia Rcheulishvili and Rusudan Kervalishvili when he put them in the legislative body and bankrupted “Centre point.” You probably remember how Saakashvili boasted about Signagi. He assisted Temur Charkviani in winning a tender; however, in return for this, he exhorted a huge amount of money from him and let the construction company “Tbilisi” that was involved in several grandiose projects go to the dogs. Reports are also rife that the Government made Mr. Charkviani carry out a number of projects in Batumi and Kobuleti without reimbursing his expenses,” the article says.
"As Aslan Abashidze’s former press secretary, Tamaz Bakuridze declares, Temur Charkviani was a close relative of his sister-in-law, and he knows perfectly well how this man was mired in dirty politics. “Temur Charkviani was from Batumi and his reputation was untarnished. He did not enter the Parliament of his own volition; he was never interested in politics. They hammered into his head the idea of becoming a majoritarian deputy of Batumi and he simply abided by their order. He was a well-heeled man and politics was an unnecessary burden for him… The Nationals simply benefited from Temur Charkviani; this man was their cash cow who they milked every now and then. And when Mr. Charkviani became a heavy burden from them to carry, they simply did away with him… A successful businessman was in debt because of Saakashvili,” declares Mr. Bakuridze, who distances himself from defining the late Charkviani as a man able to commit suicide,” reads the paper.
“As one of Charkvaini’s relatives announces, he took out bank loans after they forced him to refurbish Signagi. Then they made Mr. Charkviani their deputy and cheated a colossal amount of money out of him. Mikheil Saakashvili and a clique of the Nationals literally dragged this man into the grave. The very Saakashvili, who now talks about democracy in stentorian tones killed this man softly,” concludes the author of the article.
