PROGRESS IS EXPECTED IN ARMENIAN-POPULATED REGIONS OF GEORGIA AS
RESULT OF REFORMS OF LOCAL SELF-GOVERNANCE BODIES

AKHALKALAK, JUNE 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Elections of local self-governance
bodies will be held in Georgia just in a year. Gergia already
certified (with some reservations) the European Charter of Local
Self-Governance, and elections will be held by the new law which is
not adopted yet. But President Mikheil Saakashvili created a special
commission which must work out draft reforms of local self-governance
bodies which may become a basis fro the new law. The commission created
by the President will pay great attention to decentralization of local
bodies and creation of their budget balances. The issue of separation
of the administrative-regional structure of Georgia, which depends on
making clear relations of Tbilisi with Abkhazia and the South Ossetia,
may remain open in the draft reforms. According to the “A-Info”
agency, it is expected in the south Armenian-populated regions of
Georgia, especially in Javakhk that as a result of reforms of local
self-governance bodies, the regions will have an opportunity to act
independent in issues of decentralization and local character.