The MPs passed the 217 draft national public budget law in the first reading. Minister of Finance Octavian Armasu said in Parliament that the draft budget is based on an economic growth of 3%, a 10% rise in exports and a 9% increase in imports. After the most recent amendments, the second reading will be the last one, IPN reports.
The 2017 national public budget provides for revenues of 51.1bn lei, an increase of 4.5bn (+9%) on 2016, and for a total expenditure of 55.4bn lei, which is 38.8% of the GDP. The budget deficit will be 4.3bn lei or 3% of the GDP. Octavian Armasu said the deficit was agreed with the development partners.
The state budget revenues will total 32.8bn lei. The rise in revenues is due to the larger incomes that will be collected as taxes. These are expected to be by 2.2bn larger than this year. The budget support grants in 2017 will come to 3.4bn lei, an increase of 47% on 2016.
The state budget will be 36.9bn lei. The costs for services in economy, social protection, education, public order and national security will increase the most. The state budget deficit will amount to over 4bn lei. The state debt at the end of next year will represent 42.6% of the GDP.
The scholarships of students will be increased. The lump-sum payment for young specialists in medicine and pharmaceutics placed in rural areas will rise by 50%, up from 30,000 lei at present. The agriculture subsidization fund will grow by 200m lei to 900m lei. The single child birth allowance will rise to 5,300 lei, while the monthly childcare benefit for children raised in family-type children’s homes will increase from 650 to 750 lei.
