At a news conference held at the State Chancellery on November 30, Georgian Presidential Administration Head Giorgi Arveladze stated that the main promise that the government has given the people on the increase of pensions will be fulfilled, along with many other promises. According to Mr Arveladze, incorrect information on the pension issue spread in the last few days has misled people. "In many cases provocative and demagogic statements have been made, therefore we consider it necessary to inform the public of details of the new initiative of the government," Arveladze said, stressing that the president's old-age pension, under the initiative of the President himself, would equal the minimum pension and the president, like any person, has to be granted the pension as soon as he reaches the pension age. Arveladze particularly stressed that the MPs' pensions will be reduced by one third and will be granted as soon as they reach the pension age. "Georgian MPs used to receive pensions equal to their salaries as soon as they had obtained a 25-year work record. That should no longer take place," Giorgi Arveladze said. 
According to Mr. Arveladze about 300 people, who had been working at the more powerful ministries, used to receive pensions of about GEL 2,000 - 5,500 per month. He also stated that when the minimum pension in the country is 28 lari, the grounds upon which these people have been granted such high pensions is absolutely incomprehensible.

As Mr Arveladze said that next year 800 000 pensioners will receive increased pensions which will amount to 38 lari. 

"Those who are against reducing extremely high pensions [GEL 2,000 - 5,500] are fighting against the increase of the minimum old-age pension, and those who back 200-300 people [those who receive very high salaries] are opposing 800,000 pensioners. We gave a promise to these pensioners that the pension rise would be an irreversible process and we will fulfill this promise by all means," the Head of the Administration said.

 

Communications Office
of the President of Georgia