The Parliament approved on December 9 the state budget for 2012, criticized by the opposition lawmakers for lack of transparency. 

The next year’s state budget sets revenues at GEL 6.839 billion, up by GEL 368 million from this year and expenditures – at GEL 6.528 billion, up by GEL 500 million from 2011.
 
Forecasted tax revenues are set at GEL 6.3 billion next year, up from planned GEL 5.65 million this year. According to the draft, the government expects GEL 239 million in foreign grants next year.

The budget forecasts 2012 economic growth at 5%, setting an expected nominal GDP to amount up to GEL 26.43 billion. Forecasted annual inflation is set at 6%.

One of the major amendments in the final version of the draft was related to the new pension package plan, involving increase of minimal monthly pension for 67 years old and above from the current GEL 100 to GEL 125 starting from September, 2012 and funding GEL 15 health insurance policies for all the pensioners from next September.
 
Breakdown of funding per ministry is as follows:

• Ministry of Healthcare and Social Protection – GEL 1.722 billion (2011 – GEL 1.685 billion);
• Defense Ministry - GEL 675 million (2011 – GEL 711 million; 2010 – GEL 728 million);
• Interior Ministry - GEL 585.2 million (2011 – GEL 568 million; 2010 – GEL 549.2 million);
• Finance Ministry – GEL 111.7 million (2011 – GEL 228.8 mln);
• Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development – GEL 172.3 million (2011 - GEL 162.3 million);
• Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure – GEL 968.3 million (2011 - GEL 806 mln);
• Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources - GEL 290.3 million (2011 - GEL 248.8 mln);
• Justice Ministry - GEL 74 million (2011 - GEL 74.5 mln);
• Ministry in charge of prison system – GEL 120 million (2011 – GEL 112.3 mln);
• Foreign Ministry - GEL 76 million (2011 – GEL 73.2 mln);
• Ministry of Education and Science – GEL 595 million (2011 – GEL 561.1 mln);
• Ministry of Culture and Protection of Monuments – GEL 81.5 million (2011 – GEL 60.9 million);
• Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs - GEL 50 million (2011 – GEL 40 million);
• Ministry of Agriculture - GEL 119.9 million (2011 – GEL 86 million);
• Ministry of Environment Protection - GEL 17.5 million (2011 – GEL 14.4 million);
• Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Accommodation and Refugees - GEL 34.8 million (2011 – GEL 44.1 million);
• Office of the State Minister for Reintegration Issues – GEL 1.3 million (2011 – GEL 1.2 million);
• Office of the State Minister for Integration into European and Euro-Atlantic Structures – GEL 2 million (2011 – 2.2 mln);
• Office of the State Minister for Diaspora Issues – GEL 850,000 (2011 - GEL 838,000).

Next year, when the parliamentary elections are planned, the Central Election Commission (CEC) will receive increased funding of GEL 41.6 million.

The 2012 budget will allocate GEL 513.4 million for road infrastructure rehabilitation; GEL 192.9 million – regional and municipal infrastructure rehabilitation and GEL 106.5 (in 2011 GEL 40 million) – agriculture development program.

Autonomous republics and local self-government bodies will receive GEL 819.9 million from the central budget.

Funding of the public television will increase from this year’s GEL 45 million to GEL 49.6 million. In 2011 about one half of the public television’s budget was allocated to its Russian-language channel.

The Georgian Orthodox Church’s funding remains unchanged next year at GEL 22.8 million.