The Parliament adopted in the first reading amendments to the Law on the state budget for 2023, increasing its revenue and expenditure parts by 1 billion 406.2 million lei.
According to the bill, in particular, it is planned to increase the revenue part of the state budget of Moldova in 2023 by 1 billion 406.2 million lei (+ 2.2%) - from 64 billion 868 million 382.2 thousand to 66 billion 274 million 579 thousand. lei, and expenditure - to increase also by 1 billion 406.2 million lei (+1.7%) - from 83 billion 195 million 682.2 thousand to 84 billion 601 million 879 thousand lei. At the same time, the state budget deficit for this year will remain at the same level - 18 billion 327.3 million lei. As Prime Minister Dorin Recean noted, speaking in Parliament, the goal of the current budget adjustments and those to be made in the autumn is to restart the engines of the economy, increase investment, which will bring additional revenues to the budget, new jobs, higher wages, and taxes to finance government social programs. “There is already progress in mitigating the inflation rate, and by the end of the year we should move from a phase of recession to economic growth,” the prime minister said. According to him, the changes being made to the budget relate to an increase in the inflow of foreign grants and their direction for measures to develop the national economy, in particular, to replenish the Road Fund, the National Fund for Regional and Local Development, the National Fund for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas, the program to support small and medium enterprises. It is assumed that the previously planned state budget revenues this year will increase by 1 billion 406.2 million lei, mainly due to an increase in external grants. In particular, income from grants in general will increase by 1 billion 479.3 million lei (+ 26.9%), including through grants to support the budget by 1 billion 451.1 million lei and grants for projects financed by from external sources, by 28.2 million lei. Herewith, receipts from other income will decrease by 75.3 million lei (-3.1%). Budget support grant receipts have been revised to include a $86 million World Bank Multi-Donor Trust Fund Co-financing DPO Grant (provided by the US, Ireland, and Sweden) and an $8 million revision of the DPO Concession Contribution as a result of an increase in base interest rates on the international market, as well as based on the current dynamics of the exchange rate of the national currency. The inflow of grants for projects from external sources was revised as a result of a change in the forecast for the implementation of projects financed from external sources in the current year, as well as the entry into force of new agreements. In addition, amendments to the state budget for 2023 stipulate an increase in the size of the Road Fund by 4.5% - from 1 billion 485.3 million to 2 billion 221.3 million lei, the National Fund for Regional and Local Development - by 53.3% - from 600 million to 920 million lei, the National Fund for the Development of Agriculture and Rural Areas - by 6.6% - from 1.5 billion to 1.6 billion lei. To support small and medium-sized businesses will be allocated 338 million lei, including under the 373 program, through ODA programs. Meanwhile, the volume of the Fund for the Voluntary Association of Settlements will be reduced by 5 times - from 250 million to 50 million lei, the Population Support Fund - by 39% - from 220.19 million to 134.12 million lei. Allocations for financing capital investments by budgetary bodies will decrease by 3.5% - from 2 billion 426 million 686.6 thousand lei to 2 billion 342 million 067.6 thousand lei. For the implementation of the First Home state program, 200 million lei (+17.6%) will be allocated instead of the previously provided 170 million lei for the repayment of state guarantees under the program. It also provides for an increase in spending on the implementation of activities in the fields of culture, sports and youth, education, and healthcare. At the same time, salaries of officials will be raised from June 1. // 09.06.2023 — InfoMarket.
