BRATISLAVA, December 13, (WEBNOVINY)- As expected, parliament voted on Thursday to approve the draft state budget for next year. In the morning vote, 82 of 146 lawmakers present raised their hands for the budget while 64 MPs voted against it. Parliament endorsed as well two amending proposals to the budget from the workroom of the ruling SMER-SD. The first one incorporates in the budget effects of the expected shortfall in tax and levy revenues while the second one covers the endorsed 5-percent pay rise to teachers.
According to the approved amending proposals the expected shortfall in the next year’s budget is resolved by dissolving a portion of a reserve for potential worse than expected economic development, downsizing expenditures of some chapters and by increasing the cash deficit. Revenues of the budget were thus reduced from EUR 14.176 billion to EUR 13.916 billion and expenditures were downsized from EUR 17.235 billion to EUR 17.002 billion. The budgeted deficit will thus increase from the original EUR 3.059 billion to EUR 3.085 billion. The gap should thus account for 2.94 percent of the country’s GDP.
The budget that parliament approved on Thursday is a tool that will keep Slovakia at the center of events, commented Prime Minister Robert Fico. The proposed budget is a tool he added how to reach consolidation that squeezes the deficit below 3 percent of GDP. “It is a plan that is trustworthy,” he stated adding that also relevant international institutions share this opinion.
The prime minister underscores that the approved budget for next year is based on the principle of solidarity because in particular monopolies, banks, businesses and high earners will contribute to consolidation. As he added the government adopted also measures that introduce order in some spheres, however he failed to specify. “We showed once again that we have responsibility for this country,” he stated.
SITA