Prime Minister of Georgia Irakli Garibashvili announced today the Government decided to increase salaries of mayors and public servants starting from January 2022, citing years-long stagnation in their remunaration and the “failure” of the public sector to compete with the private sector.
The announcement comes less than 8 weeks before October 2 local elections.
“One of the problems in our reality – as the date of elections is approaching – is the remuneration of mayors, which is in the range of 1,800-2,000 GEL [USD 590-650] a month for instance. It is absolutely irrelevant and incommensurate to the current reality,” said the Prime Minister.
“Remuneration of civil servants has not been increased for years,” PM Garibashvili went on, adding that the move was necessary as “people cannot get motivated” with existing rates in the public sector.
“We intend to both increase some and double others. It is beyond imagination that a mayor works for 2000 GEL a month, for instance serving the needs of Kutaisi – a large city indeed – or Batumi and being paid 2000 GEL a month. It is beyond imagination,” said Irakli Garibashvili.
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