Budget adoption unlikely in 2008

With four days remaining before the end of parliament’s 2008 fall session, it is unlikely that the 2009 budget draft will be adopted by the end of the year.

Izvor: B92

Friday, 26.12.2008.

12:23

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With four days remaining before the end of parliament’s 2008 fall session, it is unlikely that the 2009 budget draft will be adopted by the end of the year. MPs will begin debating amendments to the budget today, of which there are 251. Along with the budget debate, Finance Minister Diana Dragutinovic is trying to reach an agreement with opposition officials to cut down the number of amendments so that the budget can be adopted on Monday. Budget adoption unlikely in 2008 Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MPs met last night with Dragutinovic. DSS official Radjko Obradovic told B92 that consultations would continue. “We agreed that a large number of our amendments were acceptable, that they improve the divisions in the budget that we highlighted,” he said. “We will adapt several amendments through technical discussions and an agreement with the finance minister, and we will see during the debate what will be deemed acceptable,” Obradovic said. However, the ruling coalition no longer seems hopeful that the budget will be adopted by December 29. “A miracle would be needed,” Democratic Party (DS) official Jelena Trivan said. “We have 251 amendments for the budget, 116 of which were proposed by the Serb Radical Party (SRS), which does not want to participate in the consultations to try to speed up the process,” she said. Trivan added that the SRS alone could not be blamed for the situation “because the government was very late with the budget draft.” Besides the DSS, MPs from the Forward Serbia group will also hold consultations with the finance minister. They have proposed 25 amendments. The Radicals do not want to enter the consultations, while New Serbia says its prepared to refrain from all further debate on the budget if the draft “is put right.” Diana Dragutinovic (Tanjug, archive)

Budget adoption unlikely in 2008

Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS) MPs met last night with Dragutinović. DSS official Radjko Obradović told B92 that consultations would continue.

“We agreed that a large number of our amendments were acceptable, that they improve the divisions in the budget that we highlighted,” he said.

“We will adapt several amendments through technical discussions and an agreement with the finance minister, and we will see during the debate what will be deemed acceptable,” Obradović said.

However, the ruling coalition no longer seems hopeful that the budget will be adopted by December 29.

“A miracle would be needed,” Democratic Party (DS) official Jelena Trivan said.

“We have 251 amendments for the budget, 116 of which were proposed by the Serb Radical Party (SRS), which does not want to participate in the consultations to try to speed up the process,” she said.

Trivan added that the SRS alone could not be blamed for the situation “because the government was very late with the budget draft.”

Besides the DSS, MPs from the Forward Serbia group will also hold consultations with the finance minister. They have proposed 25 amendments.

The Radicals do not want to enter the consultations, while New Serbia says its prepared to refrain from all further debate on the budget if the draft “is put right.”

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