Incomplete Asset Declarations and Incompatible Activities of Public Officials in Samtskhe – Javakheti Municipalities
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Incomplete asset declarations and incompatible activities of public officials in Samtskhe – Javakheti municipalities Transparency International Georgia reviewed the declarations of public officials in Samtskhe-Javakheti municipalities (Akhaltsikhe, Ninotsminda, Akhalkalaki, Aspindza, Adigeni and Borjomi) for 2020-2021. For the research, we examined the declarations of 144 public officials of the City Halls and City Councils. We have revealed that 49 of the declarations have violations and factual inaccuracies, as well as we found out about 27 cases of incompatibility / incompatible activities for the public office. It is also noteworthy that some of the companies associated with the public officials are involved in public procurements. If the public official has a connection with an enterprise that didn’t have a turnover for 6 or for more than 6 years before the declaration filling date, or had a turnover of no more than GEL 500 during the whole year, then s/he has no obligation to indicate such enterprise in the declaration. Due to the fact that information about the turnover of the enterprise is a tax secret, Transparency International Georgia lacks the ability to check whether the companies mentioned in the research had turnover or not. Nevertheless, Transparency International Georgia believes that in order to maintain high standards of transparency and reduce the risks of corruption, it should include all the undeclared enterprises of public officials with active in its research. We have also identified alleged cases of nepotism in frames of the following research - after being appointed in the office in five municipalities of the region, family members of five high-ranking officials were employed in self-governments or in subordinate legal entities. Results of declaration monitoring ] Ninotsminda Municipality Out of 22 public officials in Ninotsminda municipality, 5 filled in the declarations with violations. Konstantin Vardanian Deputy Chairman of Ninotsminda City Council In the declaration filled out in June 2020, Konstantin Vardanian did not indicate that his wife, Albina Vartanian, is an acting director and owns a 100% share of Parvana TV LTD, founded in 2015. Giorgi Zmoyan Chairman of Ninotsminda City Council faction “Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia” Giorgi Zmoyan did not indicate in his declaration which was filled out in October 2020, that he has been the Director of the Javakheti Association for the Promotion and Development of Agriculture N(N)LE since 2011. According to the Law on Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Institutions, a public servant has no right to hold another position in any public institution or in a legal entity of private law. Andranik Karapetyan Chairman of Ninotsminda City Council faction “Georgian Dream – Conservatives” Andranik Karapetyan did not indicate that he is an individual entrepreneur since 2011 in his declaration filled out in August 2020. David Durgaryan Chairman of Ninotsminda City Council faction “Georgian Dream – Youth” David Durgaryan did not indicate that he is an individual entrepreneur since 2016 in his declaration filled out in February 2021. Vaginak Arzumanyan Chairman of Ninotsminda City Council faction “Georgian Dream – Majoritarians” Vaginak Arzumanyan did not indicate that his wife, Ani Arzumanyan is an individual entrepreneur since March 2013, in the declaration filled out in September 2020. ] Akhalkalaki Municipality 11 out of 28 public officials in Akhalkalaki municipality have various violations. Stephan Ezoyan Head of Administrative Service of Akhalkalaki City Hall Stephan Ezoyan did indicate in the declaration filled out in August 2020 that his wife, Jemma Karoyan is a Director at Javakheti Professional College LTD, however he did not indicate that she owns 90% of shares in the same company. Furthermore, Ezoyan did not indicate that his son, Satenik Ezoyan is an individual entrepreneur since November 2017. Rosa Yordanyan Head of Akhalkalaki City Hall Procurement Service Rosa Yordanyan did not indicate in the declaration filled out in September 2020 that her husband, Vladimer Gogoladze is a Director of “Elgi” LTD and owner of 100% shares there since February 2014. Magda Amirshadyan Head of Akhalkalaki City Hall Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Architecture and Construction Service Magda Amirshadyan also works at the Akhalkalaki Education Center N(N)LE as an accountant, which is incompatible under the Law on Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Institutions. Artashes Abgaryan Head of Internal Audit and Inspector Service at Akhalkalaki City Hall Artashes Abgaryan did not indicate in his declaration filled out in May 2020, that he is registered as anindividual entrepreneur since 2011. Ruben Abajyan Head of Military Registration and Conscription Service of Akhalkalaki City Hall Ruben Abajyan did not indicate in his declaration filled out in September 2020 that his wife, Asia Abajyan is anindividual entrepreneur since 2001. According to Ruben Abajyan’s declarations, he is also working at “Victoria Security” LTD at the managerial position since 2018, which is incompatible activity according to the Law on Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Institutions. Gaioz Lomsadze Deputy Chairman of Akhalkalaki City Council Gaioz Lomsadze, who is a Deputy Chairman of the City Council, also works as a Financial Manager at “Meeki” LTD. He indicated this information in his declaration, which is incompatible activity according to the Law on Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Institutions. “Meeki” LTD belongs to the family of Enzel Mkoyan, former majoritarian MP from Ninotsminda – Akhalkalaki. Since 2010, Akhalkalaki municipality LLCs and N(N)Les were buying fuel from “Meeki” LTD with simplified procurements. Transparency International Georgia wrote about the possible cases of corruption related to this company in January 2020. Gaioz Lomsadze was a Director of “Meeki” LTD before being elected at the City Council. Koba Gokhadze Chairman of Akhalkalaki City Council faction “Georgian Dream – Greens” Koba Gokhadze did not indicated in the declaration filled out in March 2021, that he is an individual entrepreneur since 2010. He also did not mention that his son, Zura Gokhadze is also an individual entrepreneur since 2018. Seda Melkumyan Chairman of Akhalkalaki City Council Finance – Budgetary Commission Seda Melkumyan, heads two N(N)Les in addition to holding a position at City Council: “Friendship of the People of Samtskhe – Javakheti” N(N)LE and “Civic Education for the Rule of Law” N(N)LE, which is an incompatible activity according to the Law on Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Institutions. She did not indicate this information in thedeclaration in January 2021. Sipan Shipaktsian Chairman of the Mandate, Procedural and Legal Issues and Ethics Commission at Akhalkalaki City Council Sipan Shipaktsian did not indicate in the declaration filled out in January 2021 that his father, Pavel Shipatskian and mother, Kishmish Tsormutian founded a cooperative “Azavreti” in 2016 and are its directors. Moreover, he did not indicate in the declaration that his mother is an individual entrepreneur since 2007. Andranik Muradyan Chairman of Municipal Property Management, Natural Recourses and Agrarian Issues Commission at Akhalkalaki City Council Andranik Muradyan did not indicate in the declaration filled out in December 2020 that he is a director of the cooperative “Ruben 2014”. He also did not indicate that his son, Ruben Muradyan is an individual entrepreneur. Sarkis Melikyan Chairman of Social Affairs, Culture, Education, Sports and Youth Affairs Commission at Akhalkalaki City Council Sarkis Melikyan did not indicate in his declaration filled out in January 2021 that he founded a cooperation “Mimoza” along with his brother Gevorik Melikyan. Gevorik Melikyan is a director of the cooperative. Furthermore, Meilikyan did not indicate that his brother - Gevorik Melikyan, his father – Ashot Melikyan and mother – Anait Melikyan are individual entrepreneurs. It is worth mentioning that Akhalkalaki City Hall signed a simplified procurement worth of GEL 19,999 with Gevorik Melikyan in July 2019 in frames of Rural Support Program. ] Aspindza Municipality 9 out of 24 public officials filled out declarations with violations in Aspindza Municipality. Rostom Magrakvelidze Mayor of Aspindza Municipality Rostom Magrakvelidze did not indicate in the declaration filled out in February 2021, that he is a Director of the cooperative “Tsekavshiri”. Anzor Alelishvili Head of Infrastructure, Spatial Planning, Architecture and Construction Supervision Service at Aspindza City Hall Anzor Alelishvili did not indicate in his declaration filled out in December 2020 that his wife – Marine Londaridze is the founder and the member of cooperative “Vardzia 2015”. Irakli Jvaridze Head of Control and Internal Audit Service at Aspindza City Hall Irakli Jvaridze did not indicate in his declaration filled out in March 2021 that he was an individual entrepreneur before November 2020. Otar Tsinadze Head of Culture, Education, Sports, Monument Protection, Youth Affairs and Tourism Development Service at Aspindza City Hall Otar Tsinadze did not indicate in the declaration filled out in March 2021 that his wife Irma Zazadze – Tsinadze is an individual entrepreneur since 2016. Roin Vacharidze Head of Military Registration and Conscription Service at Aspindza Municipality Roin Vacharidze did not indicate in his declaration filled out in May 2020 that he is a board member of cooperative