A 2010 draft budget, which has been submitted to the parliament for consideration, sets revenue at GEL 4.865 billion (GEL 5.137 billion in 2009) and expenditure at GEL 5.28 billion (GEL 5.527 billion in 2009).
The draft budget forecasts 2% GDP growth, reaching GEL 19 billion and projects 3% inflation next year. According to the document “no significant changes are expected” in the current Lari exchange rate – 1 USD = 1.67 GEL.
Most of the ministries, except of the Ministry of Education, will face funding cut next year against the previous years. Breakdown of funding per ministry is as follows in the proposed initial draft, which may be revised before it is approved by the Parliament:
- Ministry of Labor, Healthcare and Social Protection – GEL 1.529 billion (GEL 1.534 billion in 2009);
- Defense Ministry – GEL 750 million (GEL 897 million in 2009; GEL 1.547 billion in 2008);
- Interior Ministry – GEL 500 million (GEL 568 million in 2009; GEL 739 million in 2008);
- Finance Ministry – GEL 267 million (GEL 342 million in 2009);
- Economy Ministry – GEL 22 million (GEL 66.5 million in 2009);
- Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure – GEL 775 million (GEL 869 million in 2009);
- Energy Ministry – GEL 15.8 million (GEL 57 million in 2009);
- Justice Ministry – GEL 44 million (GEL 64 million in 2009);
- Ministry for Penitentiary System and Probation – GEL 100 million (GEL 119 million in 2009);
- Foreign Ministry – GEL 57 million (GEL 70.6 million in 2009);
- Ministry of Education and Science – GEL 527 million (GEL 519 million);
- Ministry of Culture, Protection of Monument and Sports – GEL 65 million (GEL 86 million in 2009);
- Ministry of Agriculture – GEL 45 million (GEL 113 million in 2009);
- Ministry of Environment Protection – GEL 29 million (GEL 41 million in 2009);
- Ministry of Refugees and Accommodation – GEL 27 million (GEL 62.9 million in 2009);
- Office of the State Minister for Reintegration Issues – GEL 1.1 million (GEL 1.3 million in 2009);
- Office of the State Minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic Structures – GEL 1 million (GEL 1.1 million in 2009);
- Office of the State Minister for Diaspora Issues – GEL 800 thousand (GEL 906 thousand in 2009).
Instead of GEL 39.9 million this year, the parliament will receive GEL 43 million in 2010, according to the draft.
Funding of the Central Election Commission will increase up to GEL 36.3 million because of the local self-governance elections planned in 2010. GEL 6.3 million, out of this sum, is envisaged for funding of political parties.
The Georgian Public Broadcaster will receive GEL 22 million next year, instead of GEL 25.5 million in 2009.
The draft budget for 2010 envisages GEL 1.9 million for the Public Defender’s Office (GEL 2 million in 2009).
In 2010 the president’s and government’s reserve funds will receive GEL 25 million each (instead of GEL 50 million in 2009 for each), while the funding of the president’s administration will be reduced to GEL 11.7 million and the government’s administration – to GEL 8 million.
The funding of South Ossetia’s Provisional Administration, led by Dimitri Sanakoev, will be halved next year to GEL 5 million.
The funding of the Georgian Orthodox Church next year will remain unchanged – GEL 25 million.
No increase of pensions and social allowances are envisaged by the next year’s draft budget.
This post is also available in: ქართული (Georgian)