Will budget be fulfilled?

Since the Rose Revolution the Georgian state budget has been continually increased, sometimes several times a year. The 2009 budget was adjusted several times before it was adopted by Parliament, but mostly in a downward direction.

Some experts still think there will be difficulties in fulfilling even this state budget. The Ministry of Finance reported last month that the January revenue figure was GEL 359 million, whereas it GEL 330 million was projected, meaning revenues were more than expected. However experts observe that January’s expectations are always artificially decreased, and the amounts generally only a little more than 5% of annual budgetary revenues accrue in January. The low January revenues are usually compensated for in February and other months, but in the current crisis it is highly possible that revenue targets for the coming months will not be hit.

In his speech to Parliament the President several times repeated the slogan about ‘tightening belts,’ so maybe he is hinting indirectly that the state budget will be cut further.