Pensions increase by 10 GEL
By Tea Mariamidze
Thursday, November 13
Base pensions in Georgia will be increased by 10 GEL in September next year. The current pension is 150 GEL.
Finance Minister Nodar Khaduri admitted that pension will be increased for all pensioners, no matter where they live. (Under the previous government, the amount of pensions differed based on the area of residence).
Khaduri stressed pensions would also rise in 2016.
There are about 696,197 pensioners registered with the Georgian Social Service Agency, the state authority that overlooks social protection in Georgia. Women aged 60 and older and men over the age of 65 were eligible to receive the state pension.
On a monthly basis the government allocates 104.4 million GEL to Georgian pensioners.
From next year, the government will have to allocate an additional 6.9 million GEL per month to cover higher pensions.
Under the 2015 state budget, the government planned to allocate 2.7 billion GEL to the Ministry of Healthcare and Social Affairs, with almost half of that funding, 1.36 billion GEL, assigned to cover pensions in 2015.
Head of Parliament’s Finance –Budgetary Committee Davit Onoprishvili states that giving different amounts to pensioners was discrimination.
Fellow majority MP Zurab Tkemaladze admits that GEL 10 is not a lot of money. However, together with 150 GEL it will be helpful for pensioners.
The whole 2015 budget including the pension issue will be discussed at parliament on Friday.
Members of the parliamentary minority are not going to vote for the confirmation of the document. They claim that they have various questions they want to ask about the document first.
UNM MP Zurab Japaridze says that the 10 GEL increase in pension is ridiculous. He stresses that the prices on everyday products have increased so much in the country, that the 10 GEL increase in pension is equal to no increase at all.
