Mayor Kakha Kaladze has been re-elected as President of the National Association of Local Authorities of Georgia (NALAG), Tbilisi City Hall reported.

The 8th session of the NALAG National Assembly was held today, attended by Irakli Kadagishvili, Chairman of the Committee on Regional Policy and Self-Government of the Parliament of Georgia; Kakha Guledani, Minister of Regional Development; and Zurab Abashidze, Chairman of the Tbilisi City Council.

Mayor Kaladze addressed the participants, presenting a report on NALAG’s activities over the past four years.

“I would like to congratulate everyone on their well-deserved victory in the 2025 local government elections, which reflects hard work, large-scale projects, and a vision for creating a more comfortable, attractive, healthy, and dignified environment for our citizens. The results achieved and the support provided by local governments clearly demonstrate the importance of strong self-government in Georgia. Local elections mark another step in the development of self-government, and it is the responsibility of newly elected officials to strengthen institutions. In this regard, NALAG serves as an essential tool for local governments. Strong local governance is the key to our country’s success,” said Kaladze.

The mayor highlighted NALAG’s strategic initiatives, including the establishment of a Human Rights Localization Committee in 2023, the creation of regional platforms and thematic groups for high-mountain regions and self-governing cities in 2024, and NALAG’s membership in the European section of the United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG) in 2022.

Addressing recent EU reports, Kaladze noted: “The 2025 EU enlargement report claims that Georgia is allegedly not promoting the accession of municipalities to the European Charter for Equality between Women and Men. Through NALAG’s advocacy, six municipalities joined the Charter last year. In 2025, NALAG also established a Legal Affairs Committee, which has already prepared legislative proposals submitted to the Parliament that directly reflect the interests of municipalities.”

He further emphasized the association’s role in representing Georgian municipalities internationally and supporting the policy of non-recognition of Georgia’s occupied territories, stating that these efforts have contributed significantly to the strengthening of Georgian statehood.

The session also included the election of the Executive Board and Audit Commission members, and approval of NALAG’s new statute. The event was attended by mayors and city council members from various municipalities across Georgia.