Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili said that demographic challenges will intensify as economic prosperity increases, commenting on Georgia’s declining birth rate and negative natural population growth. He argued that the trend is not unique to Georgia and is also observed in economically developed European countries.
Responding to a question about whether deteriorating economic conditions may discourage people from having children, Papuashvili said the opposite is true. Citing global trends, he said there is a direct correlation between rising prosperity and declining birth rates, as people increasingly prioritize careers and make more rational decisions about family size.
Papuashvili said the state is seeking to encourage families through various social programs, including free preschool education and state-funded higher education. He added that Parliament is working on additional initiatives aimed at encouraging couples to have children.
He also highlighted the relatively stable rate of third and subsequent births, saying emotional and cultural factors can play a greater role than basic economic conditions. According to Geostat, 17,509 children were born in Georgia in January-June 2026, while 22,224 people died, resulting in a negative natural increase of 4,715 during the first half of the year.
