After the Rebalancing Proposal was considered by the Parliamentary Commission for Financing and Budget, and within the framework of which a constructive discussion was opened, the Government adopted the Supplemented Proposal for Amendments and Additions to the Budget for 2024. This proposal will be sent again to Parliament for its consideration and adoption in a plenary session.

According to Minister of Finance Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, the supplemented Rebalance of the Budget for 2024 addresses several additional challenges that required supplementing the budgets of certain beneficiaries.

With the addition that we will submit for adoption in Parliament, provisions are made for the State Election Commission, the Commission for the Protection of Competition, the Agency for the Protection of Personal Data, the Operational-Technical Agency, the Inspection Council, the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, the Ministry of Education, the Customs Administration, the judiciary, the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Council of Public Prosecutors, the Ombudsman, and others. Specifically, the top-ups provide funds for the payment of salaries and the purchase of equipment. Among other allocations, 350 million denars were added to the State Election Commission, 147 thousand denars for equipment for the Inspection Council, 60,000,000 denars for the Ministry of the Interior for personal document materials, 87.2 million for the Otinja Dam Project, and an additional 20 million denars for expropriation related to the Otinja Dam Project. The Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts received 18.7 million denars for scientific research projects and 3.3 million denars for equipment, as well as 138,000 denars for additional equipment for the Ombudsman.

She added that the rebalance is a document prepared and updated to correct omissions in the initial Budget and provide funds for the payment of all legal rights.

In this way, we have provided funds for the full servicing of all rights and due obligations by the end of the year, including funds for pensioners, employees in the administration, business, health, etc., noted Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska.

She claims that the Budget Rebalancing ensures:

– Over 4 billion denars in additional funds for salary payments, necessary for fulfilling the obligations of salary increases according to signed collective agreements and legal decisions adopted after the initial Budget of the Republic of Moldova for 2024. This includes the collective agreement of UKIM, amendments to the laws on higher education and scientific research activity, compliance with the minimum wage where it is a component of the basic wage, and salary adjustments according to the cost of living index for the first six months of the year. This right will be paid with employees’ September salaries.

– 5.1 billion denars additionally for pension payments, ensuring a better quality of life for the oldest citizens.

– Additional financial support of about 800 million denars for beneficiaries of the right to guaranteed minimum assistance.

– An additional 1.7 billion denars for healthcare, intended for health insurance, sick leave, and payment of liabilities.

Additionally provided are:

– 1 billion denars for TIRZ,
– 1.7 billion denars for subsidies and transfers for direct financial support in the agricultural sector,
– 437 million denars for student meals, and 207 million denars for scholarships.

With the rebalancing of the Budget, we allocated 6 billion denars for municipal projects.

The Government’s intention with this Rebalancing is to ensure smooth servicing of obligations to a large number of citizens and companies, including young people, athletes, farmers, pensioners, and employees in the administration, by fulfilling their rights according to collective agreements. We are tackling open issues and making progress in fulfilling our policies for a better life for all citizens, said the minister.