Draft State Budget for 2013 Recommended for Consideration in the Parliament

Today MPs discussed the state budget for 2013. The debate was attended by members of the parliamentary committee on economic, agricultural and social policy, security and defense, natural resources, energy and the environment.

According to the Minister of Finance of Azerbaijan Samir Sharifov on all the revenue side of the budget (19 billion 154 million manats) marked the projected growth.

The largest volume of revenues, as in the past three years will come from the State Oil Fund (11 billion 350 million or 59.3% of budget revenues). Recall that from 2001 to 2007, total expenditure of SOFAR amounted to 2.36 billion manat, in 2008 - 1.68 billion manat, and so on in an incremental line. The share of this structure in the budget revenue forecast for the first time below the bar of 60%.

According to the Ministry of Taxes, 6.4 billion manat is expected. Of these, 41.2% (2.64 billion) are the tax revenues from oil deals. The remaining 58.8% is a tax on the non-oil sector, the majority of which is deductions from investment projects. The State Customs Committee transferred to the treasury 1.4 bn (7.2% of revenues).

With the exception of income tax all regional tax revenues will remain in the bank areas. It is assumed that not only self-funded capital of the country, but nearby Absheron region and Sumgait and Shirvan not petitioners in the central government.

Talking about the difference between the central and local budgets, the Minister stressed that the total regional budget with revenues in the target road fund will make AZN 515 million (2.69% of total revenue). He noted that the development is available - plus 100.6 million manat compared to expectations this year.

The private sector in the form of taxes is to replenish the state budget with 783 million manats.

Budget expenditure is expected to reach 19 billion 810 million manats. Half per cent compared with the expectations of this year reduced the cost of "services not listed in the main sections" (2 billion 881.82 million). The highest level of expenditure is expected in industry and construction (6 billion 934.23 million), as well as through state capital investments (6 billion 915.2 million).

Social costs (5 billion 37.2 million) divided into the following categories: 2.82 billion in wage bill in the public sector, 1.75 billion for pensions and targeted social benefits, 295.7 million for food security , 168.6 million for the purchase of medicines and bandages.

The Minister emphasized the growth dynamics of the National Fund for Entrepreneurship - next year it will presumably allocate AZN 150 million (+60 million). Increase in spending on national security was 14.6%, in the police and judicial system - 5.5%.

The Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic is to have 333 million manat, plus a few million on various targeted programs.

Public debt service on international obligations would cost taxpayers 780.7 mln (3.9% of total expenditure).

Science will receive 129.1 million manat (0.67% of the total budget), but, according to the minister, in charge of budget expenditures are provided for the construction and repair of scientific institutions, improving their material.

The head of the Accounting Chamber of Azerbaijan Heydar Asadov recommended the draft budget for consideration by the Parliament. - 17D-