Reports: Imereti Governor Files Resignation

The Georgian media reported on February 24 that Governor of the western Georgian region of Imereti Gia Getsadze has filed his resignation.
 
No official confirmation has been made yet nor has any reason for this decision been reported.
 
However, the Georgian daily 24 Hours speculated on February 24 that this resignation by Getsadze, who was appointed by President as the Governor of Imereti last September, is linked to a recent water supply breakdown in the main city of the Imereti region, Kutaisi, in mid-February. The paper reads that the information reported to the country?s leadership from the Imereti region?s administration was ?exaggerated.?
 
During this reported crisis the authorities used reserve forces to help distribute water to the residents of Kutaisi. 24 hours claims that this action was largely perceived as a PR campaign for the authorities in an attempt to justify and increase the reserve forces? credibility. But, the paper continues, this campaign ultimately turned out to be counterproductive, as Kutaisi residents have been suffering from water supply problems for the last several years and did not perceive these latest actions by the authorities as a truly genuine effort to correct these problems.
 
The paper also reported that either Deputy Interior Minister Bidzina Bregadze, who previously served as the Premier of the capital city of Tbilisi, or MP from the ruling National Movement party Davit Kirkitadze could replace Gia Getsadze as Imereti’s new Governor.