BREST, 13 December (BelTA) – Plans are in place to gradually increase the Union State budget, Belarus Finance Minister Maksim Yermolovich told the media on the margins of the session of the Council of Ministers of the Belarus-Russia Union State in Brest, BelTA has learned.
“The Union State budget has traditionally been stable. We have not reduced it. Neither have we reduced our contributions to the budget revenues. It will not go down next year. We have accumulated substantial amounts of unused funds. In order to utilize them, we have decided to finance additional programs. There are certain areas that we will explore further. We are planning to gradually increase the Union State budget and expand the areas where we will invest,” Maksim Yermolovich noted.
The two states need to increase funding for the program of cooperation in science. According to the minister, industrial cooperation needs more financing as well. New, additional impetus should be given to expenses on military and technical cooperation, further integration in culture and education.
The Council of Ministers of the Belarus-Russia Union State is set to examine more than 20 issues, including the Union State budget execution in 2017 and 2018 and the draft budget for the 2019. “Since the budget is the main instrument to implement Union State programs and the integration policy of the Belarus-Russia Union State, we are set to discuss it thoroughly taking into account the future results of the programs and plans,” added Maksim Yermolovich.
