Transnistrian budget earners to dwindle

The Transnistrian budget earners will be reduced by 5%-20%, plus the ones working for private companies, depending on the development of things in the local economy affected by the financial crisis, Info-Prim Neo’s correspondent from Tiraspol reports. Last week, for instance, hundreds of people became unemployed. The industrial pillars of the region either stop working, or work 3-4 days a week. In such conditions, the local deputies, jointly with the government, continue to finalize the regional budget for 2009. The parliament says that, though the budget is poor, means to subsidize the companies, financially affected by the economic crisis, are needed. According to the budget draft, the state plans to allot 100 million rubles to cover the companies’ debts. Besides, a special article has been included in the 2009 budget, according to which, public work done by the citizens fired from companies, will be financed in the towns and districts of the non-recognized republic. Valery Zemlyakov, the chairman of the budget commission of the Tiraspol town council, has remarked that “it is early to tell the number of layoffs. At the moment, layoffs of 5% of the staff are being done for saving the budget funds. If a crisis budget is approved, then the local budget will be reduced 20%.” In spite of these forecasts, the region’s authorities say that the specialists will stay employed.