Finance Minister accuses parliamentary opposition of misinterpreting his statements

“In your clarifications regarding pensions, I heard an interpretation of my answers and lies,” stated Minister of Finance Lasha Khutsishvili during a parliamentary session, in response to a question from the For Georgia faction.

According to the Finance Minister, what is irresponsible is not the demand for a pension increase, but rather increasing pension expenditures by 2.5 billion GEL per year.

Lasha Khutsishvili noted that pensions should increase, but this increase requires “stronger and higher economic growth.”

“Currently, pension increases are determined by indexation, as stipulated by law. I would like to reiterate that we must maintain a balance between economic growth and social spending. I can assure you that we are making every effort, and will continue to do so, to ensure that pensions increase by more than what is provided for by the indexation mechanism. However, achieving this requires stronger and higher economic growth,” he said.

The Minister clarified that if capital expenditures are reduced, it will no longer be possible to fund the projects for which the opposition is requesting funding.

“It concerns infrastructure projects such as construction of schools, kindergartens, water supply, sports and tourism. The vast majority of these expenditures are redirected to the regons and these expenditures then should be reduced. It will be practically impossible to increase any expenditures, whether for police officers, soldiers, teachers, or medical personnel. This is the point I was making: that such an action would be irresponsible. Once again, I ask you not to misinterpret what I have said,” he said.