The national budget deficit for the first five months of the year is within the parameters agreed with the International Monetary Fund, said Minister of Finance Veaceslav Negruta. In the first meeting of the National Committee for Financial Stability that was recently created by the Government, the minister informed that the exports rose by 16%, while the imports by 14%, Info-Prim Neo reports, quoting a communique from the Government. According to Veaceslav Negruta, the situation of the state securities market has improved, while the interest rates are slightly lower than the base rate of 7%. The cooperation relations with the banks also improved. A number of problems have been solved during the last few months, including those concerning the presentation of electronic financial reports. Prime Minister Vlad Filat said solutions must be identified to collect additional revenues into the budget. These resources could be directed to the budget-funded institutions to cover the higher maintenance costs. Vlad Filat stressed the National Committee for Financial Stability should convene regularly to analyze the trends and problems faced in the economic and financial sectors and instructed that a report on the implementation of the national economic recovery and stabilization plan be presented to him. The National Committee for Financial Stability was set up on May 26 to manage the financial crises and prevent systemic crises. Chaired by Premier Vlad Filat, the committee includes National Bank Governor Dorin Dragutanu, Minister of Economy Valeriu Lazar, Minister of Finance Veaceslav Negruta, chairman of the parliamentary commission for economy and finance Veaceslav Ionita, chairman of the National Financial Market Commission Mihai Cibotaru, and general director of the Reserve Requirement Fund Eduard Usatii.