The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association considers it necessary to provide the public with additional information on the expected outcomes of the initiative of the Prime Minister of Georgia of 9 December 2016, which related to the on-going reorganisation process in public institutions and possible dismissals of public officers for the purpose of reducing budget funds. GYLA has already circulated its public statement and frequently asked questions regarding this issue.
In addition, GYLA requested public information from the Government of Georgia and the Civil Service Bureau regarding the financial plan and main fields and areas for the reduction of budget funds, as well as took interest in the issue of coordination between the Government of Georgia and the Civil Service Bureau with regard to the reduction in the number of posts in public institutions.
The Government of Georgia and the Ministry of Finance of Georgia did not provide us with their unified view with respect to the need of reducing budget funds by 10%, the financial plan and main fields and criteria of reducing budget funds. In addition, the Government of Georgia did not provide us with information on the reorganisation of staff and on the coordination between the Government of Georgia and the Civil Service Bureau. According to the information provided by the Civil Service Bureau, the institutional analysis conducted by the Bureau in public institutions related to the entry into force of the new Law of Georgia on Public Service, rather than to the on-going process of reorganisation of staff. It is obvious from the replies obtained that the Government of Georgia and particular Ministries did not apply to the Civil Service Bureau for receiving recommendations in the on-going reorganisation process.
As of today, a certain part of public institutions has already started the reduction in the number of posts on the basis of reorganisation. According to the information provided to GYLA by public officers, certain risks have been identified when employees are picked out arbitrarily, based on a selective approach, and dismissed on a discriminatory basis, and in a number of cases, coerced into resigning on the basis of their personal applications, which constitutes a crime.
The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association considers it important that parliamentary control be exercised in a timely and effective manner over the process initiated by the Prime Minister. The Georgian Young Lawyers’ Association applied with an official letter to the Chairperson of the Parliament of Georgian and to the Chairpersons of relevant committees (Legal Issues Committee, Human Rights Committee, Sector Economy and Economic Policy Committee, Budget and Finance Committee) and urged them to hear at the spring session, within the committee formats, the reports of the Ministers regarding the reduction of budget funds, the course of the reorganisation process and its outcomes.
GYLA is actively involved in the monitoring of this process and provides legal assistance to public officers.
ჯ. კახიძის #15, თბილისი, საქართველო, 0102 ; ტელ: (995 32) 95 23 53; ფაქსი: (995 32) 92 32 11; ელ-ფოსტა: gyla@gyla.ge; www.gyla.ge
15, J. Kakhidze str. 0102, Tbilisi, Georgia. Tel: (995 32) 95 23 53; Fax: (995 32) 92 32 11; E-mail: gyla@gyla.ge; www.gyla.ge