Spouse of director of Zugdidi Municipal Company is winning in local tenders

The companies in which Badri Nemsadze, Director of the Municipal Transport of Zugdidi, and his spouse, Ekaterine Keburia, own shares – Zugdidi Auto Trans Georgia, Zugdidi Auto Trans and Clean City – are winning in tenders announced by the Zugdidi Municipality.

Badri Nemsadze has been in charge of the Municipal Transport of Zugdidi since 2008.

In the years 2011-2018, procuring organizations concluded contracts with a total value of GEL 692,223 with all the three companies through tenders (59 tenders with a value of GEL 567,188) and direct procurements (125 direct procurements with a value of GEL125,035). In addition, these companies received an income of GEL 431,106 during the period when Badri Nemsadze or his spouse was its shareholder/director. In total, the said companies have concluded contracts with a total value of GEL 614,502 directly with the municipalities and municipal legal entities of Zugdidi through tenders (GEL 508,741) and direct procurements (GEL 105,760).

It should also be noted that Badri Nemsadze failed to indicate his and his spouse’s stakes in his asset declaration that he filled out on March 28, 2018, which is a violation of the requirements of the Law on Conflict of Interest and Corruption in Public Service.

In the view of TI Georgia, the fact that the companies in which Badri Nemsadze and his spouse own stakes win in tenders and the aforementioned circumstances give rise to doubts regarding the transparency of the process and the impartial approach of the procuring organizations.

Therefore, we call upon:

- Office of Internal Audit and Inspection of the Zugdidi Municipality and the State Audit Office to study the issue of winning in tenders by the said companies;

- Civil service Bureau to study the asset declaration of Badri Nemsadze and to respond accordingly.
(NGO Transparency International Georgia)