IDFI: ₾359 mln spent on public servants’ salaries in 2021, ₾63 mln more than in 2020

In 2021, 359.6 million GEL was spent on the salaries of public servants, which is 63 million GEL more than in the previous year, the Institute for Development of Freedom of Information (IDFI) said in its findings released earlier this week.

The NGO suggested that as a result of the announced salary increase in the public sector, labor costs would increase by approximately 900 million GEL (by 55%) by 2026, and its burden on the state budget would increase by approximately two percent. 

The Georgian Government in mid-July announced public sector earnings would increase 10 percent yearly over the next three years until 2026.

“In 2021, the share of employees in the public sector reached 36%, which is the highest figure since 2012”, said the NGO. 

According to the data of 2021, 163,069 people are employed in the state legal entities under the public law and in non-entrepreneurial (non-commercial) legal entities, of which 50,561 (31%) were freelancers.