Budget bills debated in principle

BELGRADE - The Serbian parliament finished a debate in principle on the second review of the 2014 budget, draft budget for 2015 and a set of the accompanying bills, and the voting will be held after the consideration of amendments that will start on Wednesday.

The debate in principle went on well into the night between Monday and Tuesday, with occasional heated arguments and attacks from the opposition. A total of 165 amendments have been tabled, 152 of which relate to the draft budget for 2015.

Minister of Finance Dusan Vujovic presented to MPs the draft budget for 2015 and the budget review for 2014, saying that this is the first time in many years that the revision is done for allocating the funds collected through spending cuts.

He said that the review of the 2014 budget is being adopted to repay debts of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Directorate for Agrarian Payments, basic and high courts and to provide funds for severance pays.

The proposal for the 2015 budget is the first budget to predict savings at all points and is changing the trend of budget revenues, which is beginning to grow, opening the way for Serbia to get out of crisis, he noted.

Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic joined the debate in the afternoon hours, replying to MPs' questions.

Vucic said that the core of the new budget and all measures that are being taken are to ensure prospects for youth employment.

He said there will be no further cuts in public sector salaries and pensions and citizens can only expect prosperity.
"If we had not initiated deep-seated reforms, there would not be any salaries and pensions in six months," the prime minister said.

The pay and pension cuts would not...