Tiraspol, 7 August. /Novosti Pridnestrovya/. The government is actively working on the main financial document for the next year. Minister of Finance Tatyana Kirova informed the prime minister about its main parameters and which spheres had yet to take into account. The meeting was also attended by representatives of economic, financial and social security ministries.
Opening the meeting, the chairman of the government, Alexander Martynov, noted that the document reflects real progress towards improving the situation in priority areas such as health and education. He also recalled that the budget was formed within the framework of the Budget and Tax Policy Concept, which was adopted in the first reading by the Supreme Council.
"The main task that was put before the members of the government and the Ministry of Finance is the transition in the medium term from the consumption budget, 90% of which accounts for the current expenditures, to the development budget. That is, [this is done] so that we will employ the budget policy and state budget not only as an instrument for financing salaries and pensions but also as a powerful tool for the development of the economy as a whole, which contributes to gradual growth " underscored Martynov.
According to preliminary data, revenues without trust funds will amount to 1.056 billion rubles; while spending to about 2.819 billion rubles. The latter rose in terms of this year's main parameters, including paying allowances to correctional institutions employees, increase in the remuneration of judges, increase in pensions for unemployed able-bodied parents caring for a disabled child, as well as 100-ruble compensation to non-working pensioners whose pension is below the subsistence level.
Spending also includes an increase in the limits on drugs to 36 million rubles, on food, on prosthetics for preferential categories of citizens and other socially significant directions.
The 2019 draft budget also provides for inter-rate compensation for fuel-energy enterprises, the government's press service reports. In addition, there are also funds for paying debts to public utility enterprises. Among the trust funds, the capital investment fund remains unchanged for the second year running, with about 200 million rubles allocated to it. There will also be a new entrepreneurship development fund with an estimated budget of 30 million rubles.
Some new local budget innovations are underway. The main goal is to balance them and bring them to a non-subsidized level, while still retaining the full volume of salary costs and other socially protected articles.
"An option is being worked out to redistribute a number of budgetary obligations from the local budget to the republican level with a simultaneous redistribution of revenue sources to ensure these goals. Thus, we assume that local authorities and self-government will be given more independence and responsibility in terms of prioritising the allocation of funds to local budgets. This will provide an opportunity to increase tax and non-tax revenues of local budgets by developing subordinated territories," explained Kirova.
This concept will be considered together with the heads of cities and districts in the near future. However, according to the prime minister, this will allow better implementation of development programs for their territorial units.
"The heads of state administrations have a significant resource to improve business activity. I don't mean global investment projects. And, for example, the reduction of administrative barriers in the regions, the creation of a set of measures to increase the number of individual entrepreneurs, small and micro businesses - this is what the heads are capable of performing," Martynov emphasised.
The government will continue working on the budget law until the end of August, after which it will be submitted to the Supreme Council for consideration.
