News By Date 01.04.2016 30.03.2016 29.02.2016 11.01.2016 19.12.2015 16.11.2015 01.10.2015 25.09.2015 01.08.2015 01.07.2015 10.06.2015 23.05.2015 30.11.-0001

PM: Rumors about My Resignation have Grown Tiresome

PM: The Goal is to Vaccinate at Least 60% of Georgia’s Population

Nika Melia: They Have Done so Many Stupid Things, I Will Win this Case if it Ends up in Strasbourg

Zurab Chiaberashvili Quits European Georgia

Russia 'Ready' to Break Ties with EU if Sanctions Imposed

Navalny - a Legend about the Other Russia

Foreign Policy during the Biden Presidency: Probabilities & Realistic Expectations. Part 1

The Weird Political Spectrum

Professor Derlugian on the Aftermath & Implications of the Second Karabakh War

Georgian PM, Japan Ambassador Discuss Bilateral Relations

GD – Budget Savings from Ministry Reshuffle Will Go to Poor Families

Archil Talakvadze, Majority Leader MP, announced today that the money “saved by the structural changes in the government will be spent on families below the poverty line.”

Speaking on behalf of the ruling party Georgian Dream, Talakvadze reiterated that the party is in favor of small government to improve agility, responsiveness, and decision making. The new Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze put the small government concept into action when last month he announced a plan for structural changes in the government.

Georgia Today’s Thea Morrison reported that the number of ministries would be cut from 14 to 10, with the addition of one apparatus of the State Ministry functioning separately. The Ministry of Refugees has been abolished and its functions will be performed by the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Health Ministry. The Ministry of Corrections has joined the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Culture and Sports has become part of the Education Ministry. In addition, the Religion Agency will join the Office of the State Ministry for Reconciliation and Civic Equality, and the spatial development component of the Ministry of Economy will be transferred to the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure.

Bakhtadze’s changes are meant to help the government save money by cutting administrative expenses. Parliament approved the new cabinet on June 20.

Talakvadze said, “The next step of our reform will be to reduce the bureaucratic expenditure as a percent of GDP, and the mobilized financial resources will primarily be used for those families who have children below the poverty line.”

Since January 2017, only approximately 35-40% of households who qualify for benefits receive them, due to limited resources. An average of 13% of Georgian households receive benefits, according to the Georgian Social Security Association who manages social assistance programs.

By Samantha Guthrie

Photo: Parliament of Georgia