Georgia's 2025 state budget allocates millions for Anaklia deep sea port, airport projects

The project for the construction of infrastructure necessary for the Anaklia deep sea port earmarked for Georgia’s Black Sea town to ensure increased logistical capability between Asia and Europe will benefit from ₾150 million ($54.85mln) set aside for the purpose in the initial draft of the 2025 state budget, published on Tuesday by the Ministry of Finance.

In other designations, ₾70.0 million ($25.60mln) will be spent on the construction of a new Kutaisi International Airport runway in the country’s west, and ₾20 million ($7.31mln) on financing necessary studies for the construction of a new international airport in the capital city of Tbilisi.

A total of ₾25 million ($9.14mln) has been set for geological studies necessary for the construction of the Black Sea submarine cable infrastructure for an international project that aims to create a new transmission route to deliver green energy from the South Caucasus to Europe.

• Georgia’s draft state budget targets 5.5% economic growth, 1.5% inflation for 2025

The Ministry of Economy is set to receive ₾1 billion ($365mln), a ₾199 million ($72.77mln) increase from this previous year budget, while the Ministry of Infrastructure - over ₾7 billion (2.56mln).

The total spending for the consolidated budget of 2025 is projected at ₾31.2 billion ($11.41bln), aimed at fully financing the state’s obligations:

In the social direction:

• Pensions for individuals aged 70 and above will increase by ₾35 ($12.80) and will amount to ₾450 ($164.55). In highland settlements, pensions for individuals in the same age group will be nearly ₾540 ($197.46).
• Pensions for individuals under 70 will increase by ₾20 ($7.31) and will be set at ₾335 ($122.50). In mountainous settlements, pensions will exceed ₾400 ($146.26).
• Social allowances for individuals under 18 with disabilities will increase by ₾35 ($12.80), and allowances for other categories of disabled individuals will increase by ₾20 ($7.31).
• Monthly support for children aged up to 16 for families with up to 120,000 social rating points will be ₾200 ($73.13).
• Over ₾1.9 billion ($690mln) has been allocated for healthcare programmes, including a 10 percent salary increase for primary care personnel.
  ₾240 million ($87.76mln) is provided for the provision of housing for displaced persons.

In the education sector:

• An additional ₾200 ($73.13) will be allocated to fund public schools, which will “fully cover” increased salaries starting from July of this year.
• A 10 percent salary increase is planned for public school administrative staff and law enforcement officers.
• Over ₾560 million ($204.77mln) has been earmarked for the construction and renovation of public schools.
• More than ₾180 million ($65.82mln) will be utilised for the construction and renovation of kindergartens.
• Over ₾920 million ($336.41mln) will be allocated from the consolidated budget for the financing of culture and sports, with ₾515 million ($188.32) provided within the state budget.

Budgets for the Ministry of Defence, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and the Security Service will increase by over ₾330 million ($120.67mln). Additionally, ₾410 million ($149.92mln) will be allocated for the development of defence infrastructure and capabilities.

Next year, over ₾280 million ($102.39mln) will be provided to support small and medium-sized businesses. More than ₾630 million ($230.37mln) is earmarked for agricultural programmes, and ₾240 million ($87.76mln) has been allocated for environmental protection programmes.

Furthermore, in 2025, a 10 percent increase is expected for salaries of employees in budget organisations.

According to the budget process, discussions on the initial version of the 2025 budget will continue in Parliament, where proposed ideas and opinions will be reflected, the Ministry said. The final version will be adopted in December.