Tbilisi kindergarten directors dismissed amid broader City Hall ‘reorganization’

Four kindergarten directors in Tbilisi have been dismissed as part of an ongoing “reorganization effort” by the city’s municipal authorities, officials The directors of kindergartens No. 1, 17, 28 and 38 were reclaimed on Friday.

moved from their posts following a monitoring process that uncovered “serious violations”, the Tbilisi Kindergarten Management Agency told the press. Their deputies have temporarily taken over management duties.

“The severity of violations identified in several kindergartens showed that the kindergarten managers were unable to cope with the duties assigned to them, which in turn harms the educational process,” the agency said, adding that several other employees were also dismissed.

The agency also confirmed that the monitoring process was ongoing.
News of the restructuring within kindergartens first emerged on March 20, when staff informed the domestic media that a reorganization was underway. The development comes in the context of a broader shake-up within Tbilisi City Hall and its subordinate agencies.

In recent weeks, Mayor Kakha Kaladze – who also serves as Secretary General of the ruling Georgian Dream party – has initiated a series of dismissals within the city administration. The move coincides with months of sustained pro-European protests that began in November 2024.

Demonstrators have been calling for new elections after the Georgian Dream party announced it would not pursue EU membership negotiations for the next four years. The decision sparked public outrage and led to ongoing rallies demanding a renewed commitment to European integration.

As protests continue, the ruling party has introduced a series of controversial legal measures, including restrictions on freedom of expression, increased fines, and streamlined procedures for dismissing public sector workers.

The first wave of dismissals from City Hall came in December 2024, when Taia Makharashvili, a press officer, and Giga Sopromadze, executive secretary of the Council for the Issues of Persons with Disabilities, were removed from their positions. Several other employees were dismissed for signing a petition opposing the government’s stance on EU integration.

Critics argue the restructuring and new laws represent a crackdown on dissent, while the government maintains the changes are necessary for institutional reform.