ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - The government budget expenditure in 2004 is planned at 84.9 billion kuna (EUR11.1 billion), which is an increase of 4.6 percent from last year.
ZAGREB, Feb 19 (Hina) - The government budget expenditure in 2004 is
planned at 84.9 billion kuna (EUR11.1 billion), which is an increase
of 4.6 percent from last year.#L#
When one adds 16.8 billion kuna for the payment of the capital sum of
loans and securities, the final figure totals 101.7 billion kuna
(EUR13.27 billion), which is 15.8 percent more than in 2003, when the
government budget amounted to 87.8 billion kuna.
The government formulated the budget for this year late on Wednesday,
when it was said that current revenue would amount to 79.4 billion
kuna.
Despite the liabilities the former government left over for this year,
the ministers are agreed the budget is development and socially
oriented, as reflected in continued investing in road-building,
encouragement of entrepreneurship, more focus on ways of improving the
situation of the most endangered population segments such as
pensioners, war veterans and mothers, and upgraded efficiency of the
judiciary.
Funds for parliament's work would be reduced by 24.5 percent to 134.7
million kuna, while the Office of the President of the Republic may
count on 15 percent more money, namely 38.8 million kuna.
The government and its offices plan on spending 157 million kuna this
year, an increase of 11.8 percent from 2003. Four central state
offices -- for administration, e-Croatia, development strategy and
state property management -- would receive a total of 455.3 million
kuna, of which 427 million for the administration office.
The finance ministry should receive the most money, namely 26.3
billion kuna, which is 64 percent more than last year, followed by the
economy, labour and entrepreneurship ministry, which should receive
24.79 billion or 2.7 percent more than in 2003, and the health and
social welfare ministry with 17 billion or 4.4 percent more than last
year.
The ministry of the family, war veterans' affairs and inter-generation
solidarity should receive 23 percent more funds than in 2003, namely
5.6 billion kuna, while the ministry of the sea, tourism, transport
and development should receive 4.28 billion.
The ministry of science, education and sports should receive nearly
8.3 billion kuna, an increase of six percent from last year, the
ministry of agriculture, forestry and water management 2.64 billion
kuna or 2.4 percent more than in 2003, and the justice ministry 1.93
billion or 16.4 percent more than last year.
At the government's proposal, three ministries would be allocated less
funds than in 2003. The defence ministry would receive 3.58 billion
kuna, a drop of 12.3 percent, the interior ministry 3.04 billion, a
drop of 3.8 percent, and the ministry of environmental protection,
zoning and construction 604 million kuna or 0.4 percent less than in
2003.
Two ministries should receive considerably more funds than last year
-- the European integration ministry 45 million kuna or 41.8 percent
more, and the foreign ministry 423 million kuna or 20.5 percent more.
Under the draft the government is putting to parliament, the
Intelligence Agency should be allocated 51.9 million kuna or 10.6
percent more than last year, while the Counterintelligence Agency
should receive 139.7 million kuna, an increase of 13.1 percent.
The Constitutional Court should receive 20.79 million kuna or 10
percent more than in 2003.
(EUR1 = 7.66 kuna)
(Hina) ha sb