Intermunicipal Unions Formation – Government of Georgia

In 2013 the Government of Georgia by its resolution N223 approved the Key Principles of the Decentralization and Self-Governance Strategy of the Government of Georgia for 2013-2014, which stipulates the introduction of self-governance elements into the regional authority.

The first stage of the reform saw an increase in the number of self-governing cities (from five to twelve) as a result of which seven more self-governing cities (Telavi, Mtskheta, Gori, Akhaltsikhe, Ambrolauri, Ozurgeti and Zugdidi) were added to existing five (Tbilisi, Rustavi, Kutaisi, Poti and Batumi).

Pursuant to the Local Self-Government Code, the Government of Georgia shall prepare and submit to the Parliament proposals about the formation of new municipalities upon prior consultations with self-governments and interest groups. The proposals shall be submitted before October 2016.

In the course of adopting the new legislation and as a result of the influence of a number of political factors, some articles have been removed from the bill of the Local Self-Government Code. Georgia has started to make steps forward towards effective decentralization, as considerable part of the public and the political elites started to see the problems inflicted by the overly centralized system, which has failed to adequately respond to the local needs and provide quality delivery of services at a local level. In the light of intentions to devolve part of central authorities’ competences to local self-governments, the implementation of inter-municipal cooperation is becoming increasingly important.