CMC adopts municipal budget in final reading

The Chisinau Municipal Council at its Friday meeting adopted the 2012 municipal budget in a final reading. Despite some criticism from the Communist group, the budget was adopted unanimously, Info-Prim Neo reports. Veronica Herta, head of the Finance Division, stated at the meeting that, as in previous years, the budget was socially-oriented. Revenues are expected to stand at 2.4 billion lei while spending has risen to 2.8 billion lei, with the resulting deficit of 451 million lei being expected to be covered from external sources and proceeds from privatization of public property. Social spending makes up 52.5% of the total sum. Compared to last year, revenues increased by 544.1 million lei or 28%. The tax on income from salaries is expected to produced the largest part of revenues, or 1.3 billion lei. Mayor Dorin Chirtoaca declared that this year the municipal administration planned a more ambitious budget than in the previous years, with more objectives. “I’d be happy to approve the budgets for the next years just as well, to implement everything we plan, to find middle ground between all factions so that people benefited of our projects regardless of their political preferences”, he said. Valeri Pavlov, deputy chair of the Communist group, said the budget was approved with the greatest delay and because it was already May, some decisions were taken hastily. On February 21, the Council voted the budget in a first reading with revenues of 2.39 billion lei, spending of 2.61 billion lei and a deficit of 212.9 million lei.