Georgia’s 2026 draft state budget increases Health Ministry funding by $294mln

The Georgian Ministry of Health will see its funding increased by ₾800 million ($294.18mln), bringing total allocations for next year to ₾9.62 billion ($3.54bln), Deputy Finance Minister Giorgi Kakoridze announced at a meeting of the Parliament’s Health and Social Affairs Committee on Thursday.

Under the draft budget, pensions for citizens aged 70 and above will rise by ₾45, reaching ₾495 ($182.02) per month. In Georgia’s highland settlements, pensions for this group will amount to nearly ₾594 ($218.43).

For pensioners under 70, benefits will increase by ₾20, totaling ₾370 ($136.06), while in highland areas the amount will reach ₾444 ($163.27).

In addition to pensions, the budget also includes an increase in social assistance for people with disabilities.

Kakoridze noted total funding for social programs will reach ₾7 billion ($2.57bln), with over ₾2.1 billion ($0.77bln) allocated for healthcare programmes and ₾240 million ($88.25mln) set aside for housing projects for internally displaced individuals.

The Deputy Minister said that Georgia’s economy continued to demonstrate “stronger-than-expected” post-pandemic growth trends. Over the past four years, the consolidated budget has expanded by more than ₾9 billion ($3.31bln).

The real gross domestic product growth for 2026 is projected at five percent, with a medium-term forecast of 5.3 percent, while the nominal GDP is expected to reach ₾110.5 billion ($40.63bln). By 2029, GDP is projected to rise to ₾140.9 billion ($51.81bln), exceeding $13,900 per capita.

According to the draft document, tax revenues will amount to ₾26.8 billion ($9.86bln), the budget deficit is set at 2.5 percent of GDP, and public debt will remain within 35 percent of GDP.

The total expenditure of the consolidated budget for 2026 is estimated at ₾35.5 billion ($13.05bln), while total revenues are projected at ₾30.29 billion ($11.14bln).

Members of the Committee expressed support for the 2026 draft state budget.