Sports teams to be disposed of budgetary funds
19.10.12 19:50
Georgia`s law enforcement ministries will quit funding their sports teams, Irakli Sesiashvili, the candidate for the parliamentary committee for defense and security said today. He said none of the teams should be funded from the state budget.
Candidate for Sports Minister Levan Kipiani responded to Mr. Sesiashvili`s initiative. He said the clubs should be funded only by private businesses and the old way of financing them should be abrogated.
"I can`t answer how these teams should be funded - this is out of my competence. I can only say that if the funds in the defense ministry are spent unpurposefully, and in this case, I think funding professional teams is unpurposeful, of course relevant agencies should be made responsible for that. The proper funds for the teams were not intended in the proper budget therefore, a question arises - where these teams were funded from and in accordance of which articles they were funded? This issue should be discussed by law enforcements in the future. From the political point of view I can say that this is unacceptable. Each Tetri (Georgian national currency) should be used for strengthening the country`s defense capacity", Irakli Sesiashvili said.
"Of course this decision does not belong to the whole coalition, but it is Mr. Sesiashvili`s own point of view. And this point of view is right, as existence of teams of ministries is not correct. According to our concept, there should be non-departmental teams in the country. But certain works has to be done for this, therefore quitting the funding artificially is harmful. Carrying out his decision in the middle of the season is not advisable", Levan Kipiani said.
Representatives of the basketball teams also commented on the statements today. They said due to this decision, certain sanctions may be imposed on the Georgian teams by the international sports organizations. They also said the Georgian teams, with this decision, may quit existence at all.
"We play for the fame of Georgia as well as the Georgian army in Georgia and outside its borders. We try to make this with honor. I consider this unbelievable and hope that this won`t happen. It is very important for Georgia to have a strong championship. There are several clubs having been funded from the state budget so far. Of course sanctions will be imposed on the clubs as well as the National Basketball Federation of Georgia", Kote Tughushi, teh chief coach of Army Basketball Team said.
Three basketball, one football and one rugby team have been funded from Georgia`s state budget so far.
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