MPs Discuss Increase of Budgetary Expenditures

Georgian Parliamentary Committees launched on May 13 discussions of draft amendments to the 2005 state budget, envisaging the increase of expenditures by up to 68 million Lari (approximately USD 37.1 million). If approved, the expenditures of the 2005 state budget will be increased from the current 2.712 billion Lari to 2.779 billion (approximately USD 1.5 billion).

The draft amendments envisages the allocation of 20 million Lari for flood relief measures.
 
Most of the additional revenues will be allocated to the defense sector. Defense spending will increase by 46.9 million Lari ?  to 361.6 million Lari (approximately USD 197.5 million).
 
The opposition New Rights parliamentary faction has criticized the defense budget as being ?non-transparent? and has refused to participate in voting, which is scheduled at the parliamentary session on May 17.
 
This is the third time in the past two years that the Georgian Parliament has discussed an increase of budgetary expenditures. Last August the state budget was increased by 223 million Lari, while this April budgetary parameters were increased by 446 million Lari. In all three cases, a majority of the increased revenues have been allocated to the defense sector.

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