For the first time at Khulo Municipal Council

Within the frame of the Institute of Democracy project “Petition – People’s Voice in Self-Governance” supported by USAID, consideration of five petitions initiated by the population was launched. As the practice of settling the issue in the form of a petition is rather scare in Georgia, this serves as the precedent at Khulo Municipal Council.
Chairman and members of Khulo Municipal Council expressed support to all five petition issues initiated by locals.
“This is a rather good innovation. In case the citizens show more activation, more will be done” – stated Chairman of Khulo Municipal Council Jambul Khozrevanidze.
At the session of Municipal Council, petition initiator citizens justified actuality of settling the following 5 issues presented in the form of a petition together with the representatives of the Institute of Democracy.
The initiators of the petitions requested:
1.To arrange the sign-boards showing the addresses in the villages and settlement on the territory of Khulo Municipality.
According to the electronic data by the Civil Register’s Service, majority of the electorate registered in Khulo Municipality have not defined registered legal addresses (street, alley). Relevantly, for foreign tourists and citizens living in Georgia it is difficult to find specific sites. Leaving this issue unsettled in most cases creates problems for delivering post parcels to the addressee, as well as for first aid and rescue services.
2. To launch a Municipal Program for co-funding the Business planned in Khulo Municipality with the purpose of supporting citizens’ self-employment.
Local business planned in the sphere of agriculture will be better co-funded under the Municipal Program with certain percentage (not more than 30%), being finances by other state program or donor organization with not less than 70%.
3.To rehabilitate the road leading to the tourist site located on Goderdzi Pass “Green Lake” and arrange the signs.
This site is the most popular among the tourists in Khulo Municipality, though the road leading to this lake is so unsettled that it can be accessed by only high two-bridge cars. There are neither the sings defining the directions to the Green Lake.
Rehabilitation of this road will significantly increase tourist potential of Ajara Autonomous Republic.

4.To establish Public Feast “Khuloeloba”.

Khulo is the most high-mountainous municipality of Ajara Autonomous Republic, with rich historical and geographical past. Old name of Khulo – “Khula” means Trade House. Trade-caravan road was passing there in the medieval, connecting Samtskhe-Javakheti with Ajara Black Seaside via Goerdzi Pass. Unfortunately, no special date has been set in Khulo Municipality up to now, related to Khulo history and Khuloeloba.

5. To consider relevant programs in the next year budget for rehabilitation of the locally important highway by Khulo.

During recent years, management of locally important automobile roads within the administrative borders of Khulo Municipality has not been undertaken by Khulo Municipality (relevant programs are not functioning).

One of the most actual issues in relation to rural roads to be considered at the session was within the competence of the Municipality. According to acting legislation, internal rural roads are owned by the Municipality, though in reality rehabilitation of these roads is implemented by Road Department of Ajara.
Khulo Municipality request returning the function granted with the legislation. The representatives of the Institute of Democracy requested the Institute of Democracy support in relation to this issue.
The Commissions launched working on petitions issues presented to Khulo Municipality.
With the support of the project „Petition-People’s Voice in Self-Governance” the population living in Ajara, Guria and Samegrelo – Upper Svaneti region will receive knowledge and experience about the ways of settling the problems through petitions. Upon completion of the project they will be able to independently present and advocate the petitions with the purpose of settling various problems.