Pro-Presidential Factions Claim Law on Salary Increase Invalid

(Tbilisi. March 6, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Pro-Presidential Parliamentary faction Tanadgoma appealed the Parliamentary Committee on Procedures to declare adoption of the law on increase of minimal salary to the subsistence level as illegal.

MP Gela Kvaratskhelia of Tanadgoma faction said that the voting in the Parliament was held with the procedural violations. Tanadgoma wants the Committee on Procedures to study the case.

The Parliament adopted the law on February 28 with 90 votes. The law, elaborated by the opposition United Democrats Party considers increase of the minimal salary to the minimum subsistence level of 115 Lari (USD 52.9).

The government categorically opposes the implementation of the law. In the radio interview on March 3, President Eduard Shevardnadze said that the government would not permit instant increase of the minimal salary for this would result in ?irreversible economic disaster?.