Podgorica, (MINA-BUSINESS) – The Parliament has concluded a debate on the proposed Budget Law for 2019, while the MPs will vote on this piece of legislation at a later date.
In the previous two days, the MPs discussed this document and a Government’s decision on next year’s borrowing.
Aleksandar Damjanovic, independent MP, welcomed the announcement by Prime Minister Dusko Markovic that he would decisively tackle the informal economy in Montenegro.
“There is a huge potential for collection of public revenues in this segment. The tackling of the informal economy should bring order into the economy, break up some inherited monopolies, and allow the private sector to achieve better results,” said Damjanovic.
Member of Parliament Ranko Krivokapic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) said that the budget was a realistic indicator of the political situation in a country.
“The money is taken from the citizens and allocated as the Government sees fit,” said Krivokapic.
According to him, Montenegro’s economy has continuous and increasing problems, with growing expenditure for salaries and administration, and declining allocations for education, healthcare and defence.
Boris Mugosa, MP of the Social Democrats, said that his party would support the budget, because it was development oriented.
MP Tarzan Milosevic of the Democratic Part of Socialists (DPS) said that it was difficult to prepare a well-balanced budget, adding that the plans related to revenue collection were a particular challenge.
He added that there were no countries, companies or households with ideal budgets.
He concluded that the spending should be as economical as possible, focusing on the development, and the improvement of science and technology.
Minister of Finance Darko Radunovic said that the Government had succeeded in securing the economic growth, adding that the citizens could feel its effects, albeit not its total scope.
“The quality of life is not measured only by the level of salaries and income. I believe that we have struck a good balance by increasing the employment rate in the period of fiscal consolidation, while keeping the salaries, pension and social welfare at the same level, and reconstructing some schools and kindergartens,” Radunovic said, adding however that this was not enough and that the efforts aimed at achieving better results would continue.
Longer version of article is available on a link MINA ENGLISH SERVIS
