On 22 July 2014, during his meeting with the Parliamentary Minority, the Minister of Finance of Georgia, Nodar Khaduri, presented the 2013 annual budget financial report. The Minority MP, Irma Nadirashvili, asked the Minister to comment upon the morality of distributing GEL 7 million more in bonuses to bureaucrats, given the GEL 700 million deficit of the 2013 annual budget. As an answer to this question, Mr Khaduri said that the bonuses had decreased by GEL 11 million in the 2013 budget as compared to that of 2012. He also returned the question to the MP: “Was it not immoral when a member of your family received GEL 10,000 bonuses when he was employed in the public sector?” He also pointed out that the Minister of Finance of the previous government had a monthly wage of GEL 27,000 whilst the current one (him) has a GEL 5,000 wage.

FactCheck took interest in the aforementioned facts and verified their accuracy.

According to the data of the Ministry of Finance of Georgia, the total amount of money allocated under the Article of Remuneration in the 2013 annual budget was equal to GEL 1,194 million whilst the actual spending amounted to GEL 1,188 million. This included: remuneration – GEL 913 million, wages by title – GEL 13 million, bonuses – GEL 124 million, surpluses – GEL 125 million, royalties – GEL 290,000 and compensations – GEL 12.5 million.

The total amount of money allocated under the Article of Remuneration in the 2012 annual budget was equal to GEL 1,052 million and the actual spending amounted to GEL 1,049 million. This included: remuneration – GEL 727 million, wages by title – GEL 11.6 million, bonuses – GEL 135.6 million, surpluses – GEL 163 million, royalties – GEL 262,500 and compensations – GEL 11.6 million.

The Remuneration Article of the 2013 annual budget allocated GEL 142 million more as compared to that of 2012 whilst the actual spending grew by GEL 138 million. It should be noted that GEL 11.6 million less in bonuses were distributed in the public sector in 2013 than in 2012. However, the amount of remunerations in the public sector was GEL 185.5 million more in 2013 than in 2012.

FactCheck looked into the monthly wages of Nodar Khaduri and his predecessor as well. Aleksandre Khetaguri, who was the Minister of Finance of Georgia before Nodar Khaduri, was appointed in August 2012. His wage was equal to GEL 2,253 in August, GEL 3,540 in September plus a bonus of GEL 10,620, GEL 2,896 in October plus a bonus of GEL 7,080. The overall amount of wage received by Aleksandre Khetaguri during the three months of being a Minister was equal to GEL 26,389 (GEL 8,792 monthly average).

Nodar Khaduri has been the Minister of Finance of Georgia since October 2012. According to the data of the Ministry of Finance, during 21 months Nodar Khaduri received a wage and bonuses of GEL 159.5 thousand (GEL 7,595 monthly average). The monthly wage of Nodar Khaduri is set to be GEL 3,540. In October and November of 2012 he received a GEL 4,335 bonus whilst in December he received a bonus of GEL 7,080 and a surplus of the same amount. In March 2013 Nodar Khaduri received a bonus of GEL 4,335 and a surplus of the same amount. From April to December of 2013 the Minister of Finance received surpluses of GEL 4,335 whilst from January 2014 onwards his monthly surpluses amount to GEL 2,710.

Nika Gilauri, Kakha Baindurashvili and Dimitri Gvindadze also held the position of the Minister of Finance of Georgia during the office of the previous government. Nika Gilauri held the position for 17 months. The total amount of wages, surpluses and bonuses received by him was equal to GEL 149,000 (GEL 8,780 monthly average). Kakha Baindurashvili received a total amount of GEL 249,000 during the 29 months of his office (GEL 8,592 monthly average) whilst Dimitri Gvindadze received GEL 131,883 during his 19 months (GEL 8,792 monthly average).

FactCheck also examined the monthly amount of wage and bonuses received by Irma Nadirashvili’s spouse, Davit Daghelashvili. Davit Daghelashvili held the position of the Governor of the Chughureti district from March 2013 to the 2014 local government elections. The monthly wage of the governor has been set at GEL 2,600 since March 2013. As for the bonuses and surpluses awarded to the Governor of Chughureti, from January 2013 to the present day the Governor has received GEL 51,380 as wage surpluses and GEL 31,200 as bonuses. The average monthly surplus and bonus of the Governor is calculated to be GEL 2,447 and GEL 1,486, respectively. It should be noted that Davit Daghelashvili held the position of the Governor from March 2013. No bonus of GEL 10,000 has been awarded during his office.

Conclusion

FactCheck’s study revealed that the total amount of money allocated under the Article of Remuneration in the 2013 annual budget was equal to GEL 1,194 million whilst the actual spending amounted to GEL 1,188 million. It should be noted that GEL 124 million was allocated for the bonuses in 2013 which is GEL 11 million less than it was in 2012. Hence, this part of Mr Khaduri’s statement is true. It should be pointed out that, besides the bonuses, the amount of remunerations in the public sector was GEL 185.5 million more in 2013 than in 2012. The Minister of Finance is not accurate when talking about the bonuses received by his predecessor in three months. The overall amount of wages, surpluses and bonuses received by Aleksandre Khetaguri during the three months of being a Minister was equal to GEL 26,389 (GEL 8,792 monthly average). The statement about the bonuses received by Davit Daghelashvili is also not entirely accurate. The average income of the Governor of Chughureti, including wages, surpluses and bonuses, amounted to GEL 6,531. FactCheck concludes that Nodar Khaduri’s statement is MOSTLY FALSE.

FactCheck verified the accuracy of Irma Nadirashvili’s statement as well. The 2013 annual budget did indeed suffer a GEL 730 million deficit; however, it should also be noted that the total amount of money allocated under the Article of Remuneration in the 2013 annual budget was equal to GEL 1,194 million whilst the actual spending amounted to GEL 1,188 million. Hence, Irma Nadirashvili is not entirely accurate when stating that the bureaucrats received GEL 7 million more in bonuses than was originally assigned. The MP says the truth when talking about the bonuses received by her spouse. Hence, Irma Nadirashvili’s statement is HALF TRUE.