Kaladze denies political dismissal, accuses City Hall staff of ‘bullying’ colleagues

Tbilisi Mayor Kakha Kaladze has denied that Giga Sopromadze, the former Executive Secretary of the Tbilisi City Hall’s Council on Disability Issues, was dismissed on political grounds, claiming instead that his contract had simply expired and did not require renewal. He nevertheless criticised other Tbilisi City Hall employees, accusing them of ‘bullying’ their co-workers for not joining the protests against the government.

In their report ‘Civil Rights in the Face of Increasing Police Terror,’ released today, GYLA cited Kaladze’s earlier statements and his announcement of a ‘reorganisation’ at City Hall following the resurgence of protests with renewed intensity since late November as possible evidence that public officials may risk dismissal from their jobs on political grounds.