The majority of municipalities in Imereti spend money on carrying out their delegated powers from their own budget. Funds, which are transferred by the central government to the local self-governments in order to exercise their delegated powers, is for the most part not sufficient and that’s why local self-governments have to mobilize their own resources.

According to the Local Self-Governance Code, the delegated powers of municipalities are state/autonomous republic’s powers, which were delegated to municipalities according to law or in accordance of the treaty compatible with Georgian legislation, alongside with sufficient material and financial support._[1]

The powers delegated to municipalities are largely identical: public health services, programs aimed at supporting war veterans and refugees, the duty of increasing state’s defense capabilities, etc. The delegating organs are the Ministry of Regional Development and the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia.

During 2018-2019, 7 municipalities - Kutaisi, Tskhaltubo, Terjola, Vani, Kharagauli, Chiatura, and Sachkhere have spent money to exercise their delegated powers from their own budget. In total, they have spent 1 063 193 GEL. Also, in 2019 the money intended for these purposes thrice exceeded the same expenses in 2018.

In 2019, all the 12 municipalities of Imereti region have been delegated one additional power based on the Order N 207 for the purposes of rehabilitation of general educational infrastructure and providing school children with transport, but in these instances, except for Vani, it was entirely funded from the state budget.

The amount of money allocated by central authorities for carrying out their delegated powers in 2018-2019 are as following:[2]

Considering the fact that budget is low and not sufficient for the local self-governments to properly carry out their functions, the exercise of delegated powers is an additional financial burden for the self-government.

Transparency International Georgia calls on Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure of Georgia as well as Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees of Georgia to provide local self-governments with sufficient financial and material resources in order to carry out their delegated powers, in accordance with the stipulation of the law.