Parliament in Stalemate Over Salary Issue

(Tbilisi. March 19, 2003. Civil Georgia) – Parliamentary special session failed to start today as the opposition and the government failed to reach agreement over increase of minimal salary.

On March 18 the State Minister and the opposition United Democrats leader Zurab Zhvania, which proposed enforcement of the controversial draft on five-fold increase in minimal salary, start the consultation to achieve consensus.

The government claims that the increase of minimal salary to 115 Lari in 2003, as envisaged by the United Democrats’ proposal, would be impossible and it would lead to the inflation and proposes gradual increase of salary.

Because of this problem the Parliament fails to discuss many other important issues, including the US-Georgian military agreement.