Roman Gotsiridze, the former President of the National Bank of Georgia, recently criticized the government’s decision to increase the limit on non-staff employees within the state sector. Taking to social media, Gotsiridze characterized the move as a calculated maneuver by the ruling "Georgian Dream" party to provide additional employment opportunities for their party activists and relatives. He argues that this policy shift serves as a tool for political patronage rather than administrative efficiency.
According to Gotsiridze, the percentage of non-staff employees allowed in the state sector is set to rise from 10% to 15%. He suggests that this expansion is intended to compensate for the upcoming cancellation of the employment program for socially vulnerable citizens. Gotsiridze claims that the previous program was essentially a pre-election strategy used to recruit supporters and engage in voter bribery by paying citizens small monthly stipends for public works.
The financial scale of these initiatives is significant, with Gotsiridze noting that approximately 377 million GEL was spent over four years on the socially vulnerable employment program, reaching nearly 40,000 people. While 113 million GEL was allocated for 2025, the budget for 2026 shows a sharp decline to 22 million GEL as the program phases out. Gotsiridze asserts that these "freed up" funds are simply being redirected to finance the influx of new non-staff positions.
In his concluding remarks, Gotsiridze linked these budgetary decisions to broader economic frustrations, such as rising prices and wealth inequality. He questioned the fairness of the system, pointing out the stark contrast between high-spending officials and the nearly one million citizens living on pensions that do not even reach 400 GEL. He emphasized that the purchasing power of these pensions has effectively halved, leaving the elderly in a precarious financial state while the government prioritizes political employment.
