Heavy burden of state employees

The number of state employees and their high salaries is a serious economic burden for the country. State authorities claimed that this number would be reduced, but the facts give a different picture. In 2004, right after the Rose Revolution, there were around 102 000 state employees in the country. In 2005 their number was reduced and around 75 000 state employees remained. Since 2006 the number of employees has been gradually increasing whereas their salary increased quite considerably. Now in 2011, Georgia has more than 100 000 state employees whose combined monthly salary exceeds 1 million GEL. It should be noted that the salaries in the state structures are pretty high, eventually they are higher than in the private sector. However, this is not the case in the top level of private businesses, such as high-rank employees of the banks or other high-rank leaders of corporations.

For instance, the salaries of the Ministers come up to 75 000 GEL annually. They also receive special premium allowances up to 70 percent of their salary. Of course this is good as it is a solid incentive for the ministers not to take bribes, however these high salaries are very disproportional to overall society with more than 20 percent of the population living below the poverty line.