The Georgian NGO “Young Barristers” has finished researching wage fund, bonuses, salary supplements, travelling and living expenses paid to Georgian officials, who are currently working in Ukrainian Government.
According to the information, submitted to the organization by Ukrainian State Agencies, Ukrainian Government doesn’t have any information, apart from the wages. Who provides living, travelling and other expenses for Georgian Officials is not clear. The Administration of the President of Ukraine doesn’t also have information whether the living expenses of Mikheil Saakashvili, the former President of Georgia and current Odessa Governor, is provided by the State Budget. Mikheil Saakashvili was working as an advisor of the President not on a staff and on February 13, 2015, he was appointed as the Head of International Advisory Council. As it is said in Odessa Area State Administration letter, Mikheil Saakashvili is the Head of Odessa State Administration since May 30, 2015. According to their information, reimbursement of the former Georgian President consists of 5644 UAH (578 GEL). And only 5644 UAH (578 GEL) has been put down on his account so far, by June 30,0215. The response letter says, that the rank and salary supplements have not been determined yet and bonus hasn’t been awarded to him. It should be noted, that Mr. Saakashvili doesn’t have any labor book in Ukraine. Accordingly, they have no information about his previous salaries and wage fund as well.
The Ministry of Health of Ukraine says, that Aleksandre Kvitasvili, current Minister of Health of Ukraine, receives 6109,00 UAH (626 GEL) monthly salary from December 2, 2014 up to now. Responsive letter from the Ministry says, that the Ministry doesn’t provide living expenses for the Minister.
According to the information submitted from the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine, the First Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Eka Zguladze, has received 113,974 UAH (11 684 GEL) as a salary in total, from December 2014 until June, 2015. The letter also states, that the State Budget of the country doesn’t provide living expenses for Eka Zguladze.
According to the information submitted by the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, the Deputy Minister of Justice of Ukraine, Gia Getsadze received monthly salary of 4268 UAH in February 2015. In March, April and May he received 9462 UAH per month as a salary, which amounts 3347 GEL in total for all 4 months. The same Ministry provides information about Khatia Shelia and Jaba Ebanoidze as well - both of them were working as advisors of the Minister of justice of Ukraine. The responsive letter says, that none of them has ever got any salary, since their work was not paid. Their living costs were also not supported by the State budget. The letter also states, that Giorgi Tsiklauri is not working within the system.
The responsive letter from the Office of the Prime Minister of Ukraine talks about Levan Varshalomidze, former Head of the Government of Adjara. It is noted, that Levan Varshalomidze was appointed as an advisor of the Prime Minister of Ukraine in December 23, 2014, however from June 1, 2015 he is not taking this position any more. In any event, his work as an advisor, was never paid from the State budget and if one is not paid from the state budget, he/she is not entitled to any salary supplements or bonuses.
According to the Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, the monthly salary of Davit Sakvarelidze, Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine, amounts 4914 UAH (503 GEL). He also receives salary supplements, 15% of the salary, due to the length of service, as well as bonus, for significant achievements in his work. The Prosecutor’s Office doesn’t have relevant information about Mr. Sakvarelidze’s living expenses. It doesn’t confirm, that Gizo Ugulava is working within their system.
“Young Barristers” believes, that analysis of the information about wage fund, bonuses, salary supplements, travelling and living expenses paid to Georgian officials in Ukraine, significantly reflects and reveals real basics and reasons of their work in the neighboring country. They were receiving much higher wages, bonuses, traveling costs and salary supplements, while they were working in Georgian public sector. The society should be aware about their real goal- whether they have honest desire to reform Ukraine or simply want to get political asylum. Most of the former Georgian officials doesn’t receive any salary in Ukraine and salaries of the others are extremely low to live on. Ukrainian State budget doesn’t provide living expenses for any of Georgian officials. This facts create risk of elite corruption and it also provides less trust to the public servants, who are “not” motivated financially.
“Young Barristers considers it reasonable to note, that On June 9, 2015, the organization addressed following State Agencies of Ukraine, requesting public information about Georgian high-ranking officials’ salaries, bonuses, wage fund, salary supplements, travelling and living expenses: Ministry of Justice of Ukraine, Prosecutor’s Office of Ukraine, Prime Minister Office of Ukraine (Director of Public Relations and Communication Department), President’s Administration and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine. Requested information referred to the following Georgian officials: Mikheil Saakashvili, Aleksandre Kvitashvili, Levan Varshalomidze, Ekaterine Zguladze, Jaba Ebanoidze, Giorgi Tsiklauri, Gia Getsadze, David Sakvarelidze, Gizo Ugulava and Kjatia Shelia. Information should be submitted regarding following issues: their official positions within Ukrainian State Agencies, date of appointment, their monthly salaries and bonuses, amount of funds allocated from Ukrainian state budget to cover their living and travelling expenses. We would like to note, that Ukrainian State Authorities have efficiently cooperated with our NGO. Since the interest towards the former Georgian officials and their activities remains high in the society, the main objective of the research was to gain public information from Ukraine and introduce it to the public society in Georgia.
