Parliament approves of basic parameters of 2009 state budget

The Parliament approved the draft Law on 2009 Budget in the first and second reading on Thursday, with the votes of the Communists and Christian-Democrats. The draft has been slammed by opposition MPs, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the draft, the incomes are set out to be 17.73 billion lei, 3 billion lei more ( 21%) than in 2008. The growth is expected to be covered from Value Added Taxes, excises, road taxes, customs taxes, etc. The expenditures in 2009 are set out to be 18.3 billion lei (+23%). The running expenses will surge 19.6% to reach 14.4 billion lei, 79.2% of the total expenditures. The expenses ensuring the state services will be 1.18 billion lei, maintaining the public order, defense and security – 1.69 billion lei, social expenses – 7.3 billion lei, economy-related expenses – 2.44 billion lei. “The Communist faction is interested in adopting a budget law the realization of which should contribute to attain the objectives set out by the Governance, which should end in the living standard in Moldova,” the Communist Dumitru Prijmireanu stated. In the Communists' opinion, the draft budget “mirrors the objective realities of Moldova”, being also “a preponderantly socially-oriented budget.” Also the chairman of the Christian-Democratic faction (PPCD), Vlad Cubreacov, gushed appreciations to the draft. “The draft shows much better than the previous ones,” he said. On the other hand, a MP from the Moldova Noastra Alliance (AMN), Valeriu Cosarciuc, has said “the draft is an expression of embezzling public money, of blackmailing all the disloyal and is destined to finance the electoral intentions of the Communists.” The AMN accuses the Government of fulfilling political commissions in distributing the budget, to the detriment of society's real needs. The Democrats' faction's chairman (PD) Dumitru Diacov has said he hoped the Government would chose another ideology in setting out the budget, channeled toward the economic growth of the country and not only toward consumption. “I think the budget is not balanced, the income heading is diminished and we'll see important amounts spent and then legalized by the Parliament, as it has happened all these years,” Diacov said. The unaffiliated MP Vlad Filat has pointed out the discrepancy between the macroeconomic frame with the trends and phenomena in the world and regional economy. “Every year they propose a technical draft, not mirroring policies in agriculture, education, healthcare, small & medium company development, etc.,” the Liberal Democratic president said. The Communists culled the AMN's and the PD's proposal to add 1.35 billion lei, and 1.7 billion lei, respectively. The draft is to be discussed in detail in the third reading and then passed into law.