Open Budget Survey: Georgia 5th in world by budget transparency

The Open Budget Survey 2019 by the International Budget Partnership ranks Georgia 5th in the world out of 81 scores out of 100, based on an analysis of 117 nations’ budget transparency scorings, participation and oversight.

This is one point less than the result of the 2017 survey. This change was mainly due to amendments in the methodology of evaluating several issues by the International Budget Partnership. 

Similar to the result of the 2017 survey, 81 points allowed Georgia to be still ranked number 5 among 117 countries following New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and Mexico. 

Using 109 indicators to measure budget transparency, countries were given a score out of 100 for each category that measured how governments managed public finances. These indicators assess whether the central government makes eight key budget documents available to the public online in a timely manner and whether these documents present budget information in a comprehensive and useful way. 

Image by Transparency International Georgia.

The eight documents are: pre-budget statement, executive’s budget proposal, enacted budget, citizens budget, in-year reports, mid-year review, year-end report and audit report.

The entire research process took approximately 18 months. The survey assesses only events, activities, or developments that occurred up to December 31, 2018. 

Despite the impressive performance, the International Budget Partnership proposes a number of recommendations for the government of Georgia in order to continue improving its scores. 

The most important recommendations are related to the further enrichment of the executive budget proposal and mid-year review and creating more tools for public participation in budgetary processes.