The MPs gave a first reading to the 2024 state budget. This provides for revenues of 66.632,0 billion lei, up 1.3 % on this year, and for an expenditure of 82.222,0 billion lei. The state budget deficit is of 15.790,0 billion lei, which is 4.6% of the GDP, IPN reports.

Minister of Finance Petru Rotaru said in Parliament that the state budget for next year includes higher allocations for children. The childbirth allowance from January 1, 2024 will be 20,000 lei.

Also, teachers’ pays will rise by 15%, while the scholarships of students of teacher training faculties will be twice larger. The allocations for the program “Family and Child Protection” will be higher and money will be allocated for the development of villages and towns so that the families benefit from better living conditions at home, while the children enjoy development opportunities.

The SMEs will be further supported and over 197 million lei will be allocated for financing a series of program intended for these. The transport system and infrastructure will be continuously developed and 4.036,5 billion lei will be allocated for the purpose, including for the repair and maintenance of national and local roads. A sum of 1.600,0 billion lei was earmarked for subsidizing agriculture and integrating the national agro-industrial sector into the European economy.

The revenues of the national public budget, which incorporates the state budget, the local budgets, the social budget and the health insurance funds, were projected at 107.172,0 billion lei. The expenditure will total 122.962,0 billion lei.

The state debt at the end of 2024 will be 125.525,6 billion lei. The external state debt will represent 64.5%, while the internal state debt – 35.5%. The state debt will constitute at most 37% of the GDP. The GDP will rise by 3.5% and will be 342.1 billion lei. The national economy is expected to grow by 3.5% amidst the improvement of the situation in the region.

The draft law is to be given a second reading by Parliament.