The 2010 Republican Budget was approved On 18 December 2009 members of the Council of the Republic considered 7 issues at the final sitting of the third session of the Council of the Republic. The senators approved the draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On  Republican Budget for 2010”. The budget is figured proceeding from the estimated real GDP growth of 111 — 113 per cent in comparison to the 2009 level (GDP nominal volume — BYR 174,5 trillion) and from the inflation index of 9 per cent a year. The consolidated budget volume is estimated at BYR 60 trillion, which comprises 30,4 per cent of the GDP. At the same time BYR 900 billion will remain at the organizations’ disposal as a result of all tax policy measures, which provide for elimination of 4 taxes in 2010 and increase of the VAT rate from 18 to 20 per cent. The targeted revenues will allow to finance BYR 55,7 trillion expenditures (31,9 per cent of the GDP). The republican budget revenues are estimated at BYR 35,5 trillion, expenditures — at BYR 38,2 trillion. The envisaged budget deficit limit is BYR 2,7 trillion (1,5 per cent of the GDP). There will be a 1 per cent growth (in comparison with the 2009 figures) of the consolidated budget expenditures together with the expenditures of the Population Social Protection Fund budget of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus, which are purposed for social and cultural sphere, social policy and support of the population. They will comprise BYR 41 trillion (61 per cent of the total  expenditures). Mr Andrei Kharkovets, Minister of Finance of the Republic of Belarus, answered the questions of Mr Boris Batura, Chairman of the Council of the Republic, Ms Antonina Morova, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic for Education, Science, Culture and Social Development, Mr Andrey Dyuzhev, Mr Viktor Averin, Mr Leonid Krupets and Ms Anna Shareyko, members of the Council of the Republic, about investments to the innovation fund and their use, the change of the amount of funds allocated for the development of social sphere, as well as about financing agriculture and scientific activities.
The senators approved the draft of the Special Part of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus, which determines the application procedure for all republican and local taxes, fees (duties), as well as special taxation regime. Enactment of the Special Part of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus will allow to formalize in legislation the activities aimed at liberalizing the conditions for business within the framework of tax legislation improvement and simplification of tax system of the Republic of Belarus. Mr Ivan Kiyevets and Mr Pavel Utyupin, members of the Council of the Republic, took part in the discussion of the draft Law.
The enactment of the draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Enactment of the Special Part of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus, Amending and Addending the General Part of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus and Declaring Null and Void Certain Legislative Acts of the Republic of Belarus and their Certain Provisions” is aimed at creating legal conditions for the enactment of the Special Part of the Tax Code of the Republic of Belarus from 1 January 2010 on. The amendments and addenda to the General Part of the Tax Code will allow to ensure overall effective application of the Code.
The parliamentarians approved the draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On Amending and Addending Certain Laws of the Republic of Belarus on Budgetary Relations Issues”. According to this draft Law certain provisions of 42 Laws of the Republic of Belarus containing legal norms that regulate the sphere of budgetary relations are brought in line with the requirements of the Budget Code of the Republic of Belarus. Ms Yelena Atrashkevich, member of the Council of the Republic, took part in the debate on this draft Law. She turned the parliamentarians’ attention to the fact that the provisions establishing the norm of budget financing of culture at 1 per cent of the GDP and providing a way to create extra-budgetary funds for financing this sphere were abolished.
The senators also approved the draft Law of the Republic of Belarus “On the Budget of the State Extra-Budgetary Social Protection Fund of the Ministry of Labour and Social Protection of the Republic of Belarus for 2010” developed  in accordance with Article 21 of the Budget Code of the Republic of Belarus. The budget expenditures of this Fund are estimated at BYR 17,83 trillion; 80,5 per cent will be used for retirement coverage (BYR 14,35 trillion). The expenditures are based upon monthly number of recipients of 2,5 million and average retirement pay of BYR 471,7 thousand. More than 7 per cent of the Fund’s resources will be used for paying the aid to the families raising children and to the people temporary incapable for work. Mr Boris Batura, Chairman of the Council of the Republic, Ms Antonina Morova, Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Council of the Republic for Education, Science, Culture and Social Development, Ms Alla Naumchik, member of the Council of the Republic, took part in the discussion of the draft Law. The parliamentarians were interested in the structural peculiarities of the Population Social Protection Fund in 2010, positive activities on using its expenditure side for the next year (retirement pay and wages increase etc.) as well as in the status of the Fund.
The participants of the sitting also gave a hearing to the Report on the Interparliamentary Activities of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus in 2009.
Mr Boris Batura, Chairman of the Council of the Republic, addressed the parliamentarians with the closing speech. |
