Business Ombudsman of Georgia resigns

Business Ombudsman Irakli Lekvinadze announced his resignation on his personal Facebook page. Lekvinadze cites "agreed alternative plans" as the reason for his resignation, which he will talk about soon.

Levan Kalandadze also resigned from the position of Deputy Business Ombudsman.

According to Business Media Georgia, PM Giorgi Gakharia already selected Mikheil Daushvili as Lekvinadze’s successor, who is a Deputy Director of the Department of Information and Analysis of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia.

According to Levan Vepkhvadze, Executive Director of the Business Association of Georgia, the new Business Ombudsman must be able to make decisions in addition to active communication with the business sector.

According to him, the new ombudsman should have "some kind of connection with everyone" and should be trusted by the Prime Minister.

As the deputy MP Levan Koberidze says, the Business Ombudsman's Office should be abolished altogether, since it is “an extra expense for the country's budget.”

"If the country has a fair, open, competitive environment, transparent and efficient bureaucracy, Business Ombudsman will not be needed,” said Koberidze.

Public Movement “Lelo” estimates that the appointment of ‘Giorgi Gakharia’s representative’ as a business ombudsman is aimed at tightening control of the business before the elections.

Lelo believes that the institute of business ombudsman should be substantial. To achieve this, they see the necessity of changing the procedure of appointing for this position. The Business Ombudsman must be elected by the Parliament for a fixed term, while the business associations and the civil sector must nominate the candidates.

“These changes will create real guarantees for effective and independent business ombudsman activity, improve the business environment in Georgia and increase investor confidence in the country,” reads the statement of Lelo.

In 2011 Tax Ombudsman institute has been created. The base of foundation and performance of activities was article 42 of the Georgia Tax Code, besides main principles and forms of activities of Georgian Tax Ombudsman, which were defined by the Decree of the Government N92 dated 23 February 2011.

As from 05 June, 2015 new law on Georgia Business Ombudsman came to effect, on the base of which the institute continued operating under a new name.

Irakli Lekvinadze has held the position of Business Ombudsman since January 2018. As an economist by profession, Irakli Lekvinadze has been a consultant to many international programs, Vice-President of the Association of Young Financiers and Businessmen and Deputy Mayor of Tbilisi.