2012 budget expenditures criticized

Georgia’s 2012 budget was adopted at the end of last year but since January new expenditures have been announced by the President, without reference to the existing budget or where financing will come from.

A series of big-ticket presidential initiatives have been announced, including 25 million GEL for electricity vouchers, 7 million GEL for vocational education vouchers, 12.5 million GEL for summer student jobs, and new teeth for senior citizens.

Critics are now asking how these promises can be fulfilled without introducing amendments to the budget. They also note that the budget is not transparent and certain expenses are not envisaged at all, nor is spending adequately tracked. Economic analyst Nodar Khaduri told Rezonansi that he believes that the government has no strategy for budgetary planning.