BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 47833 HINA Zagreb, October 25

HR-BULLETIN-Politika BRIEF NEWS BULLETIN IN ENGLISH NO. 47833 HINA Zagreb, October 25 BUDGETARY EXPENDITURE FOR 2003 - EUR 10.8 BILLIONZAGREB, Oct 25 (Hina) - Budgetary expenditure next year, excluding the payment of foreign loans, will amount to 80.2 billion kuna (EUR10.8 billion), which is nominally four percent more than this year, when expenditure following revision will total 77.1 billion kuna (EUR10.4 billion), Finance Minister Mato Crkvenac said on Friday. All economy-related ministries should get more funds next year, when science and education will remain priorities, Crkvenac told reporters. The government should endorse a draft budget for 2003 and a draft budget revision for 2002 at an extraordinary session next Wednesday. The two documents are accompanied by a package of a dozen other documents and bills. Amendments to income tax law would raise monthly automatic wage deductions exempt from taxation from 1,250 to 1,500 kuna, and introduce a series of benefits, for example th