The EU Integration, the Foreign Relations, and the Diaspora Committees, at the joint sitting, deliberated on the Draft amendments to the State Budget 2025, introduced by the First Deputy Finance Minister, Giorgi Kakauridze.

“The budget for this year was planned based on a projected 6% economic growth; however, according to preliminary data for the first ten months, real economic growth stands at 7.6%. Accordingly, we have presented an updated forecast, which envisions a 7.2% growth rate for the current year”, - the reporter stated.

As noted, under the updated forecast, the GDP for this year will amount to 104,407 million GEL.

According to him, the mixed budget revenue plan increases by 222.6 million GEL and is set at 32,133.5 million GEL.

Tax revenues will increase by 200.0 million GEL and will total 25,505.0 million GEL. Grants and other revenues will increase by 401.2 million GEL.

The total revenues of Georgia’s 2025 state budget will increase by 22.7 million GEL, reaching 27,583.5 million GEL.

As Giorgi Kakauridze explained, the increase in the revenue component amounts to 381 million GEL. Total revenues are set at 23,816 million GEL.

Tax revenues will increase by 55 million GEL, while other revenues will increase by 340 million GEL.

According to the amendments, total state budget appropriations amount to 27,952.9 million GEL, which is 11.2 million GEL higher than the approved plan.

He noted that budget appropriations will change as follows:

The appropriations of the IDPs, Labor, Health, and Social Affairs Ministry will increase by 133 million GEL and will amount to 8,953.0 million GEL. This includes an additional 195 million GEL allocated for financing the Universal Healthcare Program.

The appropriations of the Environmental Protection and Agriculture Ministry will increase by 248.3 million GEL, the Defense Ministry will receive an additional 110 million GEL, and the Sports Ministry will have its funding increased by 32 million GEL.

As explained, appropriations will be reduced for certain agencies. Among them is the Foreign Affairs Ministry, whose funding will decrease by 11.0 million GEL, mainly due to savings resulting from the strengthening of the national currency.

Giorgi Kakauridze also stated that appropriations allocated for servicing and repaying external state debts will decrease by 100.0 million GEL, taking into account savings resulting from exchange rate appreciation.

“In general, there are no significant changes to total budget revenues or expenditures. Funds have been structurally redistributed. The budget deficit remains at 2.5% of GDP, while the government debt ratio stands at 34.1%”, - he stated.

The Committees positively assessed the Draft.