Skopje, 6 August 2024 (MIA) - The budget revision was approved by the Parliament’s Finances and Budget Committee and must now secure support in a plenary session, which can last up to three days.

The Committee's general debate on the budget revision lasted three days, and the amendment discussion concluded Monday.

The MPs submitted a total of 58 amendments for the budget revision, some were withdrawn, while the rest were rejected.

Only two amendments were approved - one for the payment of administrative staff and another for political advertising involved in this year's elections.

These amendments were submitted by VMRO-DPMNE MPs Bojan Stojanoski and Dafina Stojanoska shortly before the session concluded.

Stojanoski proposed 318 million denars for the election administration in his amendment, while Stojanoska requested 32.169 million denars for paid political advertising.

According to Deputy Minister of Finance Nikolche Jankulovski, the two amendments are acceptable since they relate to the payment of legal commitments.

European Front MPs said that the budget revision is illegitimate, unrealistic, selective, and populist, and they have announced that they will not support it.

VMRO-DPMNE parliamentary group aims to adopt the 2024 budget revision in the second week of August.

Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, during the debate, pointed out that the budget revision is tailored according to the existing conditions in the Budget and that funds are provided for everything that needs to be paid according to the law.

Total revenues in the budget revision are planned at 318.2 billion denars, while expenditures are set at 362.8 billion denars. GDP growth is projected at 2.1 percent, inflation at 3.5 percent, and the budget deficit at 4.9 percent.

Photo: MIA archive