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The News in Brief

Tuesday, October 8
By Lizi Zurabiani



International conference on minimum wage to be held in Georgia

An international conference on the minimum wage will be held in Georgia on October 8, organized by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung and with the participation of Georgian Trade Unions.

According to trade unions, the conference will discuss minimum wage systems in Europe, the minimum wage in Georgia, the economic importance of minimum wage, and the challenges and achievements of minimum wage policy in Ukraine and Armenia.

The unification of the trade unions will present the content of the draft law outlined by them.

The conference will be opened by the Regional Director of the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung's South Caucasus Office, Felix Hatt, Chair of the Committee on Human Rights and Civil Integration of the Parliament of Georgia, Sophio Kiladze, Minister of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs, Ekaterine Tikaradze, Chairman of the Shire Union Irakli Petriashvili.

“As you know, the monthly minimum wage in Georgia is very low and does not meet modern requirements. In 1999, after the introduction of the minimum wage, it did not increase in line with changes in consumer prices, inflation, wages or the standard of living in Georgia. In 2006, only the public sector had a higher minimum wage of 135 GEL. The minimum wage, old-age pension, and all other social benefits in Georgia are much higher than the current minimum wage. Also, there has been no discussion of the potential wage or opportunities on the political agenda to date.

The conference organizers hope that a broad discussion and experience of other countries in the process of transformation will help them to better understand the issue and to find ways to solve the problem. Politicians, analysts, journalists, civil society and business representatives from Germany, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine are invited, as well as international organizations and diplomatic missions,” the trade union said.



Draft amendments to 2019 budget will be sent back to government with remarks

Parliamentary Finance and Budget Committee summarized the draft amendments to the state budget for 2019 today. According to Irakli Kovzanadze, the chairman of the committee, the project will be returned to the government today with remarks.

"One of the remarks concerns the economic growth rate, which is maintained at 4.5%, while the current rate is higher at 5%. Another note relates to the inflation forecast. "Inflation is projected at 4%, although this figure is unlikely to reach when the early inflation level was 6.4% as of September," said the Finance and Budget Committee in a statement.

Recall that the volume of state budget revenues is increased by 92.8 million GEL and amounts to 12 965.5 million GEL, and payments - 223.1 million GEL and reaches 13 313.1 million GEL. Ministry of Education is increasing funding by GEL 131 million, by the Ministry of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs - GEL 10 million. The Ministry of Internal Affairs financed - 25 million GEL and an additional 130 million GEL for infrastructure projects.



Bidzina Ivanishvili meets representatives of Kakheti regional organizations

Bidzina Ivanishvili, Chairman of the Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia political union continues meetings with regional organizations. The Chairman of the Party met with the heads and representatives of Kakheti regional organizations. The challenges in the region, plans, ongoing and planned projects were discussed at the meeting.

Georgian Dream - Democratic Georgia Executive Secretary Irakli Kobakhidze, Regional Secretary Dimitri Samkharadze, MPs: David Matiikashvili, David Songulashvili, Irakli Shiolashvili, Gela Samkharauli, Guram Macharashvili, Roman Muchiashvili, Prime Minister's Advisor to Regional Affairs State Representative Kadagishvili missing the region's municipalities, mayors, council chairmen, and the party was attended by the asset.

The meeting was attended by Gia Benashvili, Head of Information and Monitoring Service and Tedo Isakadze, Head of Public Relations Service.

According to the Georgian Dream, the chairman of the party has already met with the regional organizations of Western Georgia.



Government nominates Grigol Liluashvili as head of State Security Service

The government has nominated Grigol Liluashvili as head of the State Security Service. Currently, Liluashvili holds the position of First Deputy Head of the Ministry. The Parliamentary Bureau has already sent Liluashvili's nomination to the Defense and Security Committee for consideration.

The nomination of the head of the State Security Service has become vacant after former head Vakhtang Gomelauri was appointed as a Minister of Internal Affairs.

Liluashvili was a majoritarian MP in the current convocation parliament. In 2017, he was appointed deputy chief of the State Security Service.

In 2016, Liluashvili was deputy mayor of Tbilisi. Prior to that, he served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board for Cartu for one year. At the same time, he was the General Director of the Cartu Group and Chairman of the Supervisory Board.