"Parliament to push to meet budget deadline"

Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic on Monday stated that "the entire parliament should get engaged to adopt the 2009 budget on time". Djukic-Dejanovic told Tanjug that she would "do everything to have the most important law adopted by December 19", but underscored that she may not foresee all the possible circumstances. "Parliament to push to meet budget deadline" "What is certain is that we will work day and night and weekends, because we have to adopt that law," underscored Djukic-Dejanovic. According to her, it is up to the government whether the budget will be forwarded to the parliament urgently. "In view of the date, I expect emergency procedure to be the only possible option," said Djukic-Dejanovic. The 2009 draft, according to which expenditure is planned to amount to RSD 761bn, with revenues of RSD 715bn, and a budget deficit to 1.5 percent of the GDP, will be discussed at a joint session of all government committees. Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic on Monday said that there was still time to make changes to the draft, forwarded to his cabinet by the Finance Ministry last week. However, the premier pointed out that the macro framework of the budget, i.e., the projected deficit, will not change. Cvetkovic also mentioned the global economic crisis, and said that its effects would be alleviated with the built-in measures to cut public spending, that will be contained in the budget along with incentives for some sectors. The government will likely debate the draft on its regular session on Thursday. The law stipulates that the government had to send its budget proposal to parliament by November 1, while MPs have until December 15 to debate and adopt it. But parliamentary rules of procedure say that the deadline is the end of the second regular sitting – which will be at the end of 2008.

"Parliament to push to meet budget deadline"

"What is certain is that we will work day and night and weekends, because we have to adopt that law," underscored Đukić-Dejanović.

According to her, it is up to the government whether the budget will be forwarded to the parliament urgently.

"In view of the date, I expect emergency procedure to be the only possible option," said Đukić-Dejanović.

The 2009 draft, according to which expenditure is planned to amount to RSD 761bn, with revenues of RSD 715bn, and a budget deficit to 1.5 percent of the GDP, will be discussed at a joint session of all government committees.

Prime Minister Mirko Cvetković on Monday said that there was still time to make changes to the draft, forwarded to his cabinet by the Finance Ministry last week.

However, the premier pointed out that the macro framework of the budget, i.e., the projected deficit, will not change.

Cvetković also mentioned the global economic crisis, and said that its effects would be alleviated with the built-in measures to cut public spending, that will be contained in the budget along with incentives for some sectors.

The government will likely debate the draft on its regular session on Thursday.

The law stipulates that the government had to send its budget proposal to parliament by November 1, while MPs have until December 15 to debate and adopt it.

But parliamentary rules of procedure say that the deadline is the end of the second regular sitting – which will be at the end of 2008.