Municipal budget for 2007 covers only half of municipality’s needs

The Chisinau Municipal Council settled the budget of the municipality of Chisinau for 2007 (including the suburban villages) on Tuesday, December 26, and passed in second reading the budget of Chisinau City for 2007. The incomes of the municipal budget were settled at MDL 1 bln 311 mln, and the expenditures at MDL 1 bln 330 mln. Compared with the first reading, the budget of Chisinau was augmented in what concerns the incomes by MDL 26 mln and constitutes MDL 1 bln 266 mln. The head of the Finance Department, Tatiana Cunetchi said that the increase was made due to the fact that the fiscal base of the income tax and local taxes was expanded and these means will be used for capital investments. MDL 1 bln 282 mln was approved as expenditures. For the public order were included MDL 70.5 mln, education – MDL 568 mln, culture – MDL 43 mln, health protection – MDL 27 mln, insurance and social support – MDL 46.7 mln, transport and road management – MDL 291 mln. The capital investments constitute MDL 84 mln. The Municipal Council created a special commission that will distribute the expenses for the capital investments. It includes the chairmen of the factions, chairmen of the commissions, the interim mayor and his deputies. The needs of the municipality of Chisinau amount to MDL 2.5 bln, therefore the budget covers only a half of the necessities, Cunetchi said. At the same time, the budget for the next year is socially-directed, 57% of the total financial means are planned in this respect. The municipal councillors included MDL 26 mln for 2007 that will be transferred to the suburbs of the municipality, excepting Cricova and Vatra and Stauceni, that have their own incomes. Also, the resources intended for a 20% wage increase for the teachers of the municipality, a promise made several years ago by the municipal authorities, were not included in the budget of the next year. According to the data provided by the Department for Education, Youth and Sports, the estimations show that the necessities amount to MDL 50 mln.