On October 8, 2019 , “Mtavari” TV channel reported that considerable amount of money was spent from the state’s budget for furnishing the Atoneli Presidential Residence with antique and modern furniture.
According to the Administration of the President, the decision to furnish the Presidential Residence with antiques was an attempt to preserve cultural heritage for society and future generations. Furthermore, according to the statement of the President’s advisor, purchasing antiques was cheaper than buying modern manufactured furniture in Georgia.
The costs associated with furnishing/maintenance of the Atoneli Presidential Residence are especially interesting, as the current government requested from the previous president (Giorgi Margvelashvili) to move from the Avlabari Residence with the argument of cutting down expenses.
Within the scope of this research, IDFI attempted to explore how the process of furnishing the Atoneli Presidential Residence with antique and modern items was conducted and how much was spent from the state budget on the procurement of various museum exhibits and modern items. IDFI requested the relevant public information from the assumed stakeholders: the Administration of the President, the Special State Protection Service of Georgia, the State Maintenance Agency, Georgian National Museum, the Administration of the Government of Georgia, Levan Samkharauli National Forensics Bureau.
Based on the documentation (correspondence between public institutions regarding the furnishing of the Residence, assessment protocols of antique items, draft decree of the government on the issuance of resources from the contingency fund, invoices and receipts from the involved companies, etc.) provided by the above mentioned public institutions, a detailed analysis of budget expenditure on furnishing the Presidential Residence was prepares, which can be used to assess reasonableness of expenses.
Main Findings
• 2,800,000 GEL was allocated from the Contingency Fund to purchase antique and modern furniture, lighting systems and other decorations selected by the administration for furnishing the Atoneli Presidential Residence.
• Total expenses amounted to 2,174,783 GEL, out of which 1,199,558 GEL was spent on purchasing antique furniture and other interior accessories, 255,000 GEL on their restoration, and 720,225 GEL on modern furniture, lighting systems and curtains.
• According to the protocols, the National Museum working group examined 58 antique items on the spot in two days and determined reasonableness of their purchase through visual inspections.
• The National Museum working group examined in total 62 antique items, out of which 51 were deemed appropriate to purchase at the offered price, and 11 were deemed overpriced.
• 47 assessed antique items were purchased with the consent of the commission, among them were: 10 garniture/three-piece suites, 7 desks/marquetry, 7 chandeliers, 5 tables, 3 pendulum clocks, 3 mirrors, 3 candelabrums, 2 carpets, etc.
• Among the antiques purchased for the Atoneli Residence, the most valuable is a XIX century chandelier, manufactured at the Russian Imperial Factory - 59,000 USD.
• In total 133,410 USD / 391,112 GEL was spent on 4 antique chandeliers.
• The most expensive among the purchased antique furniture (garnitures, marquetry, tables) was the “secretary desk” from Paul I era, Russia – with initial price of 18,100 USD.
• Among the purchased antique items are various pricey interior accessories, for example, seven Iranian paintings at 8,500 USD, a pair of Iranian rooster figurines at 4,310 USD, 3 pairs of candelabrums – between 3,000 and 8,000 USD each, 3 pendulum clocks – each priced from 7,000 to 18,000 USD, two oriental carpets each costing between 5000 and 7000 USD, etc.
• None of the purchased antique items are of Georgian origin. European origin is indicated for 25 units, French origin for 11 units, Russian for 6, Iranian for 3, and Oriental origin for 2 units.
• Apart from the antiques, 111 units of various modern furniture were purchased for the Presidential Residence without a tender (1 book shelf, 2 sofas, 13 tables, 60 chairs, 22 consoles, 5 dressers/armoires, 8 pedestals).
• Among the purchased modern furniture the most expensive are the sofas coting 13,000 EUR and 10,300 EUR.
• 120 units of modern lighting systems were purchased for the Presidential Residence (17 chandeliers, 49 sconces, 38 standing lamps, 9 table lamps, 7 lightbulbs).
• Each unit of the 17 modern chandeliers is priced between 1,900 and 6,000 GEL, the 38 standing lamps each priced between 300 and 4,000 GEL, 49 sconces each priced between 700 to 2,700 , 9 table lamps each prices from 1,100 to 1,500 and 7 lightbulbs each priced at 41,9 EUR.
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