Budget no problem

The government approved the draft budget for next year

Despite the fact that the discussion of the draft 2004 budget took as much as five hours, no serious disagreements regarding this document were found in the government. There were no fundamental objections even from the State Duma deputies invited to the White House. The active work of the Ministry of Finance had an impact during the so-called zero reading of the budget, that is, the coordination of its characteristics with parliamentarians even before discussion in the government and before submission to the State Duma. Then, let us remind you, the Ministry of Finance met the deputies halfway, increasing funding for a number of items, in particular by 21 billion rubles. regional compensation fund. As a result, the head of the Ministry of Finance, Alexei Kudrin, was almost praised at yesterday's meeting. The impression was that the budget was approved not only by the government, but also by the Duma.

The priority areas of the budget, as the “hero of the day” himself said after the meeting, were security, defense, judiciary, healthcare, and culture. Costs will increase the most for these key items. Many other items are also not deprived, but only within the approved volume of non-interest expenses - 12.6% of GDP. Also, without exceeding the budget expenditure limit, some clarifications were made yesterday - and not only at the insistence of parliamentarians. For example, Deputy Prime Minister and Head of the Ministry of Agriculture Alexei Gordeev managed to persuade the government to allocate an additional 1 billion rubles for agricultural needs. (from 900 million to 1.9 billion rubles). Another 2 billion will be distributed in priority areas through the redistribution of funds already included in the agricultural budget line. However, not only Mr. Gordeev had every right to leave the meeting room with his head held high. Minister for Antimonopoly Policy and Small Business Support Ilya Yuzhanov seems to have defended small businesses, which the Ministry of Finance wanted to deprive of all budget support next year. The Prime Minister still instructed to help the kids.

Already according to the demands of deputies for 5 billion rubles. increased funding for the Investment Programs section. These funds will be used to build a metro, housing for youth and military personnel, and replace dilapidated and dilapidated housing stock. The parliamentarians' struggle for peaceful space exploration also ended in success. Additional 3 billion rubles. recognized as a good help in the implementation of the ISS program and other space projects. The Kaliningraders, cut off from the mainland, were not forgotten either. It is planned to use additional budget funds to equip the Kaliningrad-Ust-Luga ferry crossing (Leningrad region) and the Kaliningrad Khrabrovo airport. In addition, as the leader of the OVR faction, Vyacheslav Volodin, told reporters, 800 million rubles. funding for scholarships has been increased. For the first time next year, students will be able to rest and receive treatment using budget money, and donors will receive the same benefits as disabled people and veterans. But state employees shouldn’t expect a salary increase next year. As Mr. Kudrin said, “a 33% increase in wages (from October 1 of this year. - Ed. ) will be in effect until the end of next year, it is absolutely adequate for the economy, the national economy and the budgetary network.” The minister, however, encouraged public sector employees, saying that wage increases could occur in 2005. At the same time, by the way, according to him, a new sectoral wage system will be introduced.

According to both government members and deputies, yesterday all possible requirements for the draft budget were taken into account. Apparently, this is what prompted the head of the Ministry of Labor, Alexander Pochinok, to take a courageous and hitherto unprecedented act. He invited everyone present at the government meeting to declare a moratorium on lobbying their interests when considering the budget in the State Duma.

However, the topics for budget discussions in parliament have not yet been exhausted, because the 21 billion rubles that the government allocates for compensation to the regions have not yet been distributed. This, however, should not prevent the smooth passage of the budget law in the State Duma. The head of the Duma Unity faction, Vladimir Pekhtin, has already stated that “there should be no serious comments in the Duma regarding the budget.” Whether this is so, we will find out after August 26th. It is before this day that the draft 2004 budget must reach the deputies at Okhotny Ryad.

Mikhail VOROBYEV