Shevardnadze Slams Law on Increase of Minimal Salary

(Tbilisi. March 3, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Despite the law adopted by the Parliament on February 28 on increase of the minimal salary to the subsistence level, President Shevardnadze said in his Monday radiobroadcast that the minimal salary will be increased only partially as envisaged in government’s program.

The law, which was elaborated by the opposition United Democrats Party, considers increase of salary to 115 Lari, while according to the government’s proposal the minimal salary will be increased from 20 to 35 Lari in 2003.

“Parliament’s decision was unreasonable and implementation of this proposal will lead to inflation,” Eduard Shevardnadze said today.

“No one should think that the President is unable to oppose the law. I hope the Parliament will continue to work on improvement of the document,” Shevardnadze added.

The President has a constitutional right to veto law adopted by the Parliament.

According to the law on increase of minimal salary the government has to accumulate additional 116 million Lari in the 2003 budget. But it seems almost impossible as the government fails to meet budgetary targets.

The document adopted by the Parliament reads that the minimal salary should be increased to the subsistence level – 115 Lari per month from July 2003.

Experts say that the adoption of the law is a great success of the opposition United Democrats Party, led by former Parliamentary Chairperson Zurab Zhvania, on the eve of the upcoming Parliamentary election, scheduled for October 2003.

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