Union State budget 2013 passes first reading

MOSCOW, 18 December (BelTA) – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State approved the first reading of the Union State draft budget for 2013 at a session in Moscow on 18 December, BelTA has learnt.

According to State Secretary of the Union State Grigory Rapota who presented the document, the budget will total RUB4.872 billion next year, including RUB1.705 billion donated by Belarus RUB3.167 billion earmarked by Russia. Expenses will equal the budget’s revenues. Grigory Rapota stressed that financing of joint Union State programs would make the bulk of the 2013 budget spending.

The Parliamentary Assembly is expected to pass the document in the second reading on the same day after the document is approved by the conciliatory commission. “The conciliatory commission is to consider all the amendments into the draft budget made by the PA commissions,” First Deputy Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly, Chairman of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus Vladimir Andreichenko said.