Ozurgeti Mayor Paata Kunchulia resigns from post

Paata Kunchulia has resigned from his post as Mayor of Ozurgeti, announcing his decision on social media.

As Kunchulia wrote, remaining in politics had proven difficult for him.

“I wish to inform the public that I have decided to step down from the position of Mayor of Ozurgeti. Every step I took in office was grounded in the best interests of the people of Ozurgeti and guided by their needs. In less than a year, we implemented an unprecedented number of projects tailored to the community’s needs. In terms of budget utilisation and project execution rates, Ozurgeti currently ranks among the top three municipalities in Georgia. I am proud of the results we achieved in such a short space of time. I am delighted to have contributed to strengthening our municipality.

Against this backdrop, it is no secret to the public that foreign-agent opposition media outlets have declared open season on success and progress. Furthermore, although local government representatives, including the State Representative and the Chairman of the Ozurgeti City Council, repeatedly and publicly called on specific local officials for unity, I unfortunately felt a lack of adequate support and solidarity amid artificially engineered problems. I won’t deny that I feel a certain amount of disappointment about this, which ultimately played a part in my decision. However, that was not the main reason for my choice; I will only add that navigating politics proved to be incredibly difficult.

Therefore, I urge everyone to properly appreciate those who have been in politics for years, enduring the harshest internal and external attacks while standing firm in defence of their homeland. My deepest gratitude goes to each of my colleagues, the people who stood beside me on this journey; thanks to your dedication and steadfast support, we live in a better, stronger Ozurgeti today. A special thank you goes to my dear people of Ozurgeti; your support and love were my primary strength, responsibility, and pride. Lastly, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to the ruling team and its leadership for their trust and support. I have always been, and will forever remain, a loyal soldier in the ranks of Georgian Dream,” wrote Paata Kunchulia.