NALAG has established a thematic group for the self-governing cities in Georgia to facilitate discussions and multi-level dialogue on the challenges, problems, needs, and current issues these cities face.
The first meeting was held in the Kutaisi municipality, opened by the executive director of NALAG, Nino Rukhadze, and the mayor of Kutaisi, Ioseb Khakhaleishvili.
According to the speakers, this platform provides an additional format focused on institutional dialogue between self-governing cities and the central government. This aims to develop a unified vision of priority areas and mechanisms to address their needs.
Together with the mayors of the self-governing cities and their deputies, members of the Parliament of Georgia and the Tbilisi City Municipal Assembly and NALAG leaders participated in the large-scale meeting. Additionally, the heads of the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories of Georgia, the Ministry of IDPs, Labor, Health and Social Protection, the Georgian National Tourism Administration, and representatives from the Administration of Tbilisi City Hall were also involved.
Sessions moderated by Nino Rukhadze focused on decentralization issues, including implementing delegated powers. Discussions were devoted to the achievements and existing needs for improving the legal framework.
While discussing the next steps of decentralization for self-governing cities, the mayors shared their visions, proposals, and initiatives with Merab Kvaraia, the Deputy Chairman of the Regional Policy and Self-Government Committee of the Parliament of Georgia.
Regarding fiscal decentralization and the introduction of a tourist tax, a detailed discussion was held with Gogi Meshveliani, the First Deputy Chair of the Budget and Finance Committee of the Parliament of Georgia, and Maia Omiadze, the Head of the Georgian National Tourism Administration.
Today, the group members reviewed the co-financing schemes for healthcare programs by the central government and self-governing cities, presented by Irine Javakhadze, head of the Health Protection Policy Department of the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories of Georgia.
At the end of the meeting, the session members agreed on the working principles of the working group and set plans for future cooperation.
Additionally, at NALAG’s initiative, a thematic group for municipalities in mountainous regions was established to facilitate multi-level dialogue.
