Saakashvili Describes Budgetary Dispute as a ‘Natural Process’

President Mikheil Saakashvili said on October 20 that the disputes over the 2005 draft state budget, which arose between the cabinet and the Parliament, is “a natural process.”

“The Parliament has a chance to show its strength and competence… They [the government and Parliament] will dispute and finally reach an agreement, I know it for sure,” Saakashvili told reporters.

Earlier today, Prime Minister Zurab Zhvania accused those parliamentarians who criticized the 2005 draft budget of “political intrigues.” “The Parliament should support the reformist budget, moreover, when we are ready to take into account their [parliamentarians] remarks,” Zhvania said.

On October 19 a session of the Parliamentary Committee for Finance and Budgetary Issues said the draft of the 2005 state budget was “incomplete.” Parliamentary Chairperson Nino Burjanadze also criticized the document on October 19 and said that without amendments the draft is doomed to be rejected by the Parliament.

This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian) Русский (Russian)