Page 24 - GEORptMay18

6.0 Public Sector 6.1 Budget
Georgian parliament passes 2018 budget law
Georgian parliament passes revised 2017 budget
With 111 votes in favour out of 150, the Georgian parliament passed the country's 2018 budget on December 13, according to agenda.ge. The budget stipulates an 8.5% increase in spending to GEL12bn (€4bn) compared to the 2017 budget.
Meanwhile, revenues will amount to GEL10.5bn. Some GEL9.5bn of the revenues will arrive in the form of taxes, while the rest will be covered from grants and loans from donors.
Large budget deficits have been an issue for the small country in the South Caucasus for years, particularly because the government has used loans to finance them. Contributing to the 2018 budget deficit is an expected shortfall in corporate tax collections as a result of a tax reform passed in 2017 that lowers corporate tax in order to boost private investment.
Three ministries will account for more than half the spending: healthcare (GEL3.5bn), infrastructure (GEL1.85bn) and education (GEL1.18bn). Universal healthcare coverage has been one of the main electoral promises with which the ruling Georgian Dream party has based its campaigns since 2012.
Meanwhile, infrastructure development is the strategy that the government has chosen to spur economic activity, particularly in the logistics and tourism sectors, and particularly with a focus on rural development.
The 2018 budget law envisions an economic growth level of 4.5% in 2018.
The Georgian parliament has amended the 2017 state budget by increasing the forecasted GDP growth level from 4.0% to 4.5%, civil.ge reported on December 2. In addition, the revised budget stipulates slightly higher revenues – a 0.26% increase to GEL11.4bn (€3.55bn) and a 2.6% increase in spending to GEL11.7bn.
24 GEORGIA Country Report May 2018 www.intellinews.com