According to the data of the Budget Monitor, government agencies spent GEL 48.1 million in total for business trips. Business trip expenses last year amounted to GEL 57.7 million in 2020 whilst government bodies spent even more in 2019 in the amount of GEL 83.3 million for business trips. Of note is that business trip expenses for government bodies in 2019 is the highest since 2014. In addition, business trip expenses were rising annually in that particular period, including 2019. A decrease in business trip expenses was registered in 2020 and despite the year of the pandemic (when Georgia was under almost full lockdown with virtually every activity suspended), more money was spent on business trip expenses as compared to 2021.

In more details, business trip expenses for the Parliament of Georgia and affiliated bodies amounted to GEL 1.1 million. The Presidential Administration and Administration of the Government of Georgia spent GEL 1.3 million and 1.6 million, respectively.

In regard to business trip expenses for ministries taken separately, the picture is as follows:

Table 1: Business Trip Expenses of the Ministries

Source: Budget Monitor

As illustrated by the data, the biggest expenses for business trips was made by the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labour, Health and Social Affair Ministry of Environment and Agriculture and Ministry of Education and Science. The smallest amount of sum for business trips was spent by the Ministry of Regional Development and Infrastructure.

In regard to the previous years, government bodies spent the most on business trips – GEL 83.3 million – in 2019. Therefore, business trip expenses for each ministry was higher in that particular year.