MOSCOW, 21 December (BelTA) – The Parliamentary Assembly of the Belarus-Russia Union State should tighten parliamentary control over the Union State budget spending. Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly, Speaker of the State Duma of Russia Vyacheslav Volodin made the statement as he opened the 55th session of the Union State parliament in Moscow on 21 December, BelTA has learned.
“In the future it is necessary to secure parliamentary oversight over the Union State budget spending and pay more attention to this matter,” Vyacheslav Volodin said.
Vyacheslav Volodin reminded that discussing and passing the Union State budget for 2019 was the main item on the session's agenda. Apart from that, “government hours” will become part of the routine of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State of Belarus and Russia. “It will make the agenda up-to-date and will make the work of the Parliamentary Assembly more effective,” he said.
On 22 December the Union State MPs intend to hear out reports from the relevant Belarusian and Russian ministers on progress in scrapping roaming charges in the Union State of Belarus and Russia. According to Vyacheslav Volodin, citizens of Belarus and Russia, who live near the border, look forward to being able to make cheap interstate calls.
The formation of the common R&D space in the Union State of Belarus and Russia will be another matter to discuss during the “government hour”. “The matter is important for raising living standards of citizens of the two countries,” said the head of the lower chamber of the Russian parliament.
Apart from that, MPs are expected to discuss the work of the Youth Chamber under the Parliamentary Assembly of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, the timetable for the assembly's work and international activity plans for 2019.
