MPs for the Democratic Front (DF), the Democratic Montenegro, the Social Democratic Party (SDP), Demos, the Socialist People’s Party (SNP) and the URA Civic Movement did not attend the session.
The government suggested that the Parliament adopt the budget revision proposal by the shortened procedure. The key items of this year’s budget revision include the non-withdrawal of money for the Bar-Boljare highway construction, expenditures for public sector salaries, allowances for mothers with three or more children and Health Fund’s debt, the Mina Business agency reports.
SD MP Vujica Lazovic said that the need to adopt the budget revision was caused by poor projecting of the budget income and expenditure plan.
“Adoption of the budget revision is timely because currently there are realistic projections based on which the funds necessary for the payment of allowances to mothers with three or more children can be provided. It would have been risky to adopt the budget revision earlier, for example before the tourist season, because then we could not have predicted the revenues to be generated in the tourism sector”, he added.
As he pointed out, preparations for the construction of the highway first section lasted longer than it was planned, which is why the projected capital budget assets were not spent.
He also suggested organising electronic Parliament sessions, since thus the costs related to printing and distributing materials to MPs would be reduced.
DPS MP Branko Cavor explained that it was necessary to prepare the budget revision since, on the one hand, the assets allocated for implementing the highway project would not be spent this year, and, on the other hand, there is the shortage of funds for the public sector salaries and allowances for mothers with three and more children.
“The aim is to regularly service all obligations of the state”, he said.
LP MP Andrija Popovic warned that there is a delay in severance payments amounting to nearly 1.930 workers, victims of transition.
“Severance payments for 2014 have not been disbursed yet. This revised budget provides €2m for that purpose. I hope that the money will be used to pay severance for the last year”, he said.
After the revision, the current budget amounts to €812.72m, the budget of state funds is €685.24m and financing expenditure transactions €417.85m.
Revised capital budget amounts to €115.73m. It previously amounted to €334m. These €219m from the capital budget remained unspent primarily due to the highway, since out of €245m only €5m was withdrawn.
Source revenues have been increased to €1.48bn, whereas expenditures have been decreased to €1.61bn. The deficit has also been reduced and it amounts to €129.6m, as well as lacking funds which amount to €547.45m.
The total planned budget expenditures have decreased by €94.08m, primarily due to the highway.
