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Journal number 4 ∘ Tea KhorguashviliNatia Khorguashvili
The Main Challenges of the State Budget Spending Policy in the Pandemic and Post-Pandemic Periods

In the post-pandemic period, which was accompanied by the war in Ukraine and continues to this day, which affects the world population, Georgia is no exception. Georgia's economy is in a more or less good condition; we have economic growth, export growth, trade balance is slightly but still improving, but the growing inflation is preventing all this from reflecting positively on the social background of the population. In light of this, the government should ensure the use of appropriate tools and direct the expenditure policy to the correct determination of priorities; In order to evaluate transparent and effective spending from the state budget, it is necessary to reflect the expected results and indicators of the programs defined by the budget in the main part of the state budget law; Fiscal discipline, which in turn includes the implementation of fiscal indicators planned by the government in the short-term and long-term. Reasonable, timely and responsible decisions are the basis for ensuring macroeconomic stabilization of the country. Finally, successful fiscal policy is reflected in economic growth and macroeconomic stability.
After Georgia's independence, our country faced a number of serious challenges and problems, but the governments of our country always tried to meet the maximum requirements with limited resources, which always meant achieving the desired result.
The issues to be discussed are:
• The implementation of state budget expenditures
• Expenditure policies and reforms in the pandemic and post-pandemic period
• State budget priorities.
From the second half of 2020, the spending policy became fully focused on increasing the financing of measures for the management of COVID-19, health and social protection, as well as measures promoting economic development.
In the 2021 budget, the planned expenses for the management of COVID-19 have almost doubled and amount to 846 million. GEL, 150 million GEL has been allocated for the purchase of necessary vaccines for vaccinating 60% of the population. In the direction of promoting the economy, the allocation of the "Entrepreneurship Development" program is increasing by 55.0 million GEL and is set at 357.2 million GEL. in the amount of GEL, which is caused by the increase in the co-financing of enterprise credits and the financing of measures to promote the implementation of grant projects; International organizations estimate the pandemic's impact on the global economy in different ways.
Recently, many reforms have been carried out in the direction of public finances, of which it is worth noting:
• program budget
• Treasury Single Account
• Unified system of state debt management
• Tax reforms (introduction of a single tax code, return of redundancy, etc.)
• Pension reform
• Capital market reform
• deposit insurance system
• creation of private and public cooperation
• creation of legal framework of insolvency.
Through integrated systems, a unified public finance management information system (PFMS) was established. The module of the electronic treasury system receives information about the program codes, budget classification codes and budget allocations of the "Budget Planning and Management Module". PFMS is connected to the electronic system of the State Procurement Agency, from which the electronic treasury receives information about signed contracts (tender number, contract number and date, identification code and name of the supplier, total amount and currency, CPV code). Accordingly, the electronic system of the procurement agency receives information about payments from the treasury; In order to verify the supplier's name and identification code, the system uses the electronic database of the Revenue Service and the Civil Registry.
Currently, the priorities determined by the state budget are:
1. Health care and social security
2. Defense and public order
3. promotion of economic activity and tourism
4. Regional development and infrastructure projects, etc.
Today, the world is facing a new economic crisis caused not by economic factors, but by a pandemic recognized by the World Health Organization. Taking into account this factor, both individual countries and the whole world are facing a different term from the classic economic crisis - the "coronomic crisis".
In light of this, the state should ensure the use of appropriate tools and direct the spending policy to the correct determination of priorities;
In order to evaluate the transparent and effective spending from the state budget, it is necessary to reflect the expected results and indicators of the programs determined by the budget in the main part of the law on the state budget;
• To tighten the control over the implementation and analysis of the expected results of the budgeted programs
• To strengthen the control mechanisms - internal and external audit activity and compliance with international standards
• To introduce an accounting system based on the accrual method
• To adjust the remuneration of employees in public institutions
• To reduce the budget deficit, the government should ensure the reduction of expenses.
Taking into account the current situation, measures to manage and contain the spread of COVID-19 will continue, there is also no plan for the recovery of the economy, the government is trying to act on time within the framework of the anti-crisis plan, the population should also support the efforts of the government to contain the spread of the pandemic.

Keywords: Spending policy, program budget, macroeconomic stability, deposit insurance.
JEL Codes: E60, E61, E62, E63

References:
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