Today, the Vice Speaker, Ilia Nakashidze attended the Local Authorities’ Congress in the Hotel “Paragraph” in Shekvetili and delivered the speech: municipality in Georgia counts the century.

The First Republic of Georgia was unique in many directions, including in terms that on February 2, 1919 Georgia held the first municipal elections. Tbilisi residents elected the members of the City Assembly – voters.

The next elections should have been held on February 27, 1921 but the Red Army invaded Tbilisi and terminated the local authority. Only after 77 years Georgia managed to hold free democratic elections in November, 1998. The local authority at present is the most important attribute of the state as no democratic states can endure without this institution. Local authority in cooperation with the central authority constitutes the public authority.

The Georgian Dream, on the very first day attracted attention to enhancement of local authorities and held the fundamental municipal reform in 2014 to clearly separate the powers between the central and local authorities.

The Constitutional reform has further enhanced municipal independence guarantees. It is not enough and the municipalities shall be enhanced further with wider public engagement. The Government and the Parliament actively cooperate in this direction. I would like to express special thanks to the Regional Policy and Self-Government Committee.

A few days ago, the Parliament hosted the Local Authorities’ Forum discussing all relevant issues. I would like to take the advantage and thank the organizers: IRI, USAID and US Government”.