Parliament Approves Budgetary Amendments

The Georgian Parliament approved on October 12, with a 129 to 12 vote, amendments to the 2005 state budget which envisages an increase in budgetary expenditures by GEL 26 million (USD 14.4 million).

As a result of these budgetary amendments, most additional revenues will be allocated to the defense sector. The Defense Ministry will receive an additional GEL 7.5 million (USD 4.1 million) while the Interior Ministry will receive GEL 2.1 million (USD 1.1 million).
 
According to the amendments, additional revenues will also be allocated to the following ministries:
 
Energy Ministry ? GEL 4.1 million (USD 2.2 million)
Health Care Ministry ? GEL 3.5 million (USD 1.9 million)
Ministry of Culture ? GEL 2.3 million (USD 1.2 million)
Ministry of Education ? GEL 1.8 million (USD 1 million)
 
At the same time, funding for state services will increase by GEL 3.9 million (USD 2.1 million). 
 
However, despite this increase in expenditures, the budgetary amendments also envisage a decrease in funding for social security by GEL 826,000 (USD 458,800), as well as funding for the agricultural sector ? by GEL 88,000 (USD 48,800). 

Parliamentarians from the opposition Republican Party suggested that this increase by GEL 26 million is ?only on paper? and the government is really only trying to legitimize budgetary funds that have already been spent.

Lawmakers from the opposition Conservative Party also criticized these amendments for not allocating additional funds for social programs.

This is the third time in 2005 that the Georgian Parliament has discussed an increase of budgetary expenditures. In April, budgetary expenditures were increased by 446 million Lari (USD 247.7 million) and in May ? by GEL 86 million (USD 47.7 million). In all three cases, a majority of the increased revenues have been allocated to the Defense Ministry.

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