UNM calls for higher pensions, fuel taxes in response to 2027 budget

The opposition United National Movement has called for additional pension increases and a reduction in fuel excise taxes, criticising the government’s proposed 2027 budget.

Speaking at a briefing on Friday, UNM governing council member Lasha Parulava called for funds allocated for increases in officials’ salaries to be redirected to pensions. He proposed raising pensions by GEL 40 rather than GEL 20, and increasing the pension for people aged 70 and over by GEL 120 instead of GEL 60.

“We demand that the financial resources allocated for increasing officials’ salaries be transferred to the pension fund,” Parulava said.

He also called for the fuel excise tax to be cut by half, claiming this would reduce fuel prices by GEL 0.30-0.40 per litre.

Parulava described the 2027 budget as a project aimed at improving the welfare of government officials “at the expense of the Georgian people” and criticised the planned increases in salaries for senior state officials.

The initial draft of the 2027 state budget provides for an increase in the public-sector base salary to GEL 1,735. The annual salaries of the president, prime minister and Parliament speaker are set at GEL 208,200 under the draft.

The 2027 budget draft was submitted to Parliament by the government on September 30 and is currently undergoing parliamentary consideration.