Police, first-aid personnel, social workers and others to receive increased salaries
By Natalia Kochiashvili
Friday, July 3
Salaries of police, first-aid personnel, village physicians, nurses and social workers increased in Georgia, starting 1st of July, Prime Minister of Georgia Giorgi Gakharia announced.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the salary of police officers will increase by GEL125 from this month. According to the agency, the increase in salaries serves to improve the functioning of the agency, improve the conditions of employees and increase motivation.
“It is important to establish an effective human resource management system to ensure law and order and public safety,” the Interior Ministry said in a statement.
According to the 2020 budget, salaries will be increased for soldiers, firefighters, police and equals, which is GEL50 million from the budget. The salary will be increased for more than 30 thousand employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Remuneration of social agents increased by GEL150. The terms of the employment contract will also be extended.
Social agents demanded an improvement in working conditions a few days ago. If the demand was not met, they planned a strike.
Until now, the salary of social workers was fixed at GEL80, which was GEL4.80 for each family surveyed. According to social workers, they would earn an average of GEL300-500 per month.
This time, the fixed salary of senior social agents has also increased by GEL100. Instead of 450, they will receive GEL550.
According to the decision of the government, the terms of the labor contract of social agents have been increased to 6 months. According to Giorgi Tsotskolauri, Deputy Minister of IDPs from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs, based on work experience, some social agents will sign one-year contracts and some will have permanent contracts from the end of the year.
The changes also affected and increased the amount of leave for social agents, forced waiting and incentives. In this case, the social agents will receive an average salary for the last 3 months.
Social agent Giorgi Aptsiauri says the increase in salaries has not exhausted the problems of social workers. They also want to talk to representatives of the Social Services Agency about the cost of visits to families and the cost of transportation.
Georgian citizens above 70 years will receive an increased pension starting JulY with monthly pensions increasing by GEL30 to GEL250, announced the Ministry of Health, Labour and Social Affairs of Georgia.
As for pensioners above 70 living in the highland areas, their pensions have increased to GEL300.
Moreover, pensions for individuals with category I disabilities and children with disabilities will increase to GEL250 as well.
“An increase in pensions for people less than 70 years old will be adjusted based on the inflation rate, while an increase of pensions for people above 70 will be adjusted based on 80% of economic growth as well as the inflation rate,” Finance Minister Ivane Matchavariani said back in April.
In January, 2020 pensions increased for all pensioners by GEL20. As for retirees (women above 60 and men above 65) living in highland villages, they began receiving an additional 20% on their monthly state pension in 2016.
