The supplementary budget for 2007 and the draft 2008 budget were scrutinised by the last five parliamentary working bodies on Thursday before the finance and monetary policy committee puts the finishing touches on the documents on Friday.
The foreign policy committee had no critical remarks with regard to the 2007 and 2008 budgets for the Foreign Ministry.
FM Dimitrij Rupel explained that SIT 17.4bn (EUR 72.6m) have been earmarked for 2007 and the same amount for 2008. This presents a 12% increase over 2006, mostly due to Slovenia's EU presidency in the first half of 2008.
The ministry plans to use SIT 2.1bn (EUR 8.8m) for the EU presidency project in 2007, with the majority of the funds earmarked for 151 new jobs. SIT 1.9bn (EUR 7.9) are to be set aside for 2008, Rupel added.
Similarly, the EU affairs committee had no major remarks, but opposition MP Feri Horvat expressed surprise at the fact that the budget of the Government Office for EU Affairs (SVEZ) will be lower in 2008 despite the EU presidency.
SVEZ will have SIT 1.44bn (EUR 6m) in 2007 and EUR 1.35bn (EUR 5.6m) in 2008, but a SVEZ official said that the department's activities in 2008 will be heavily integrated in the activities of the presidency in order to cut costs.
The committee for the economy poured over the budget documents without attaching any amendments after Economy Minister Andrej Vizjak revealed that his ministry would get almost SIT 50bn (EUR 209m) in 2007 and SIT 55bn (EUR 229.5m) the year later.
Vizjak stressed that 70% of the funds would be earmarked for development, turning the ministry from "rescuer" to "promotor" of the economy.
The head of the committee, opposition MP Feri Horvat, noted that the development part of the budget was projected to come from EU funds, but it is uncertain how much money can actually be phased over the next two years.
Similarly, Matej Lahovnik said it was laudable that so much money was earmarked for development, but the ministry's budget relies too much on European funding.
The budget documents were also scrutinised by the budget oversight commission, where the debate focused on the possibility that VAT rates increase in 2008.
Commission chair Milan M. Cvikl noted that the projected increase in VAT, which is factored into the 2008 budget revenues, was controversial, as the increase is not stipulated in any budget-related legislation.
He said this makes the very reading of the 2008 budget in violation with the act on public finances.
Representatives of the Finance Ministry rejected the concern, saying that the 2007 budget was adopted on the same premise last year but the government later realised a VAT increase would not be necessary.
The committee for labour, social affairs and the disabled meanwhile urged the finance committee to appropriate more funding for retirement homes and mental health programmes.
SIT 682m (EUR 2.84m) is earmarked for retirement homes in 2007 and SIT 450m (EUR 1.87m) in 2008, which The Pensioners' Party (DeSUS) said was unacceptable.
The MPs had no major qualms about the rest of the Labour Ministry's SIT 285.7bn (EUR 1.19bn) budget for 2007 and SIT 292.3bn (EUR 1.21bn) for 2008.
The budgets for 2007 and 2008 were also scrutinised by the human rights and equal opportunities commission whose only remark was an appeal for additional funds for the ombudsman's office.
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