Transparency International says since December 2024, based on incomplete information, about 700 public servants have been dismissed from various agencies on political grounds.
The organization says that one of the main directions of the Georgian Dream’s attempts to suppress the protest wave in the country is to fully bring public service under the party’s control. To this end, the Georgian Dream adopted laws facilitating repression and, in parallel, began dismissing those public servants who publicly expressed their protest over the country’s deviation from the European path.
“The Georgian Dream has introduced repressive amendments to the Law on Public Service four times since December 2024. It has significantly worsened the legal protection of public servants and has effectively abolished the public service reform that has been implemented for years with the support of international organizations and was necessary prerequisite for the country’s integration into European structures.
Since December 2024, according to incomplete information, about 700 public servants have been dismissed from various agencies on political grounds. The largest number of employees were dismissed from the following structures: the Ministry of Defense, Tbilisi City Hall and its subordinate LEPLs the National Agency of Public Registry, the Justice House, the National Probation Agency, the Central Election Commission, the Sighnaghi, Lagodekhi, and Adigeni municipalities, the Ministry of Finance and Economy of Ajara, the Department of Tourism and Resorts of Ajara, the High Council of Justice of Georgia, the Government Administration, the Personal Data Protection Service. Two institutions have been closed: the Parliamentary Research Center and the Civil Service Bureau.
In these agencies, mainly due to reorganization, expiration of contracts, or other formal reasons, employees who signed protest statements against the suspension of European integration or openly expressed their critical position towards government policies were dismissed or removed from their positions.
No legal justification is required for the dismissal of middle-level managers, and they will be given three-day advance notice of dismissal; the rule of appointment to important positions without competition has been restored; the reorganization rule has been simplified and even if a person is illegally dismissed due to reorganization, only one month missed salary will be paid; persons in the diplomatic service will no longer be considered public servants appointed for life and will be fired after the dismissal of a minister.
The legislative change deprives the artistic teams of professional theaters of the opportunity to participate in the selection of the theater director, and directors will be appointed and dismissed by the minister or mayor at their discretion. Public servants will be able to engage in scientific, pedagogical, and artistic activities only with the written consent of the head of the relevant institution”, reads the statement.
