State Audit Office of Georgia conducted the Performance Audit of Ensuring Determination of Priorities and Selection of Projects in Local Self-Governing Units.
The auditees of the performance audit were: the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure, Municipal Government of Abasha, Gurjaani, Tetritskaro and Ozurgeti self-governing communities, State Representative - Governor and Regional Advisory Councils under regional governor in two selected regions (Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti and Kvemo Kartli). Audit period encompassed 2015 year and the first half of 2016.
The audit revealed that citizens’ participation rate is low in meetings held under Village Support Program where priority projects must be selected by population. At the same time, some municipalities do not use new citizens’ participation forms, which are defined in Local Government Code of Georgia.
Documental information about the infrastructural needs is mostly general and fragmental in selected municipalities. For that reason problems at village level and the inequality between villages cannot be identified. At the same time the document of priorities does not give information about the real priority directions of the municipality.
The audit revealed that the scales of project assessment criteria presented in action plan guideline is mostly general and does not ensure uniform selection process of projects financed from Regional Development Fund. Besides, the criterion, whose scale is presented detailed in guideline is scored by technical mistakes by working groups.
State Audit Office issued recommendations that should improve priority determination and projects selection process in local self-governing units.
