VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski strongly criticized the proposed 2021 budget for what he said are its unrealistic projections and the meager investment in infrastructure. Nikoloski pointed to the fact that the budget provides tax revenue of 1,91 billion EUR, a little above the 2019 collection.

What is the Government basing this optimism for? How can it expect to collect more in taxes in a year of deep crisis, than in the last year before the crisis?, Nikoloski asked.

He added that the spending side of the budget contains 20 million EUR more in salaries for the public administration for a total of 510 million EUR. “2020 was a record year for salaries for the administration which is expected to vote for SDSM and DUI, and now that high sum is being increased further. The budget item of goods and services that the state procures, which is the most dubious item in the budget, is also at a record high of 347 million EUR, or 55 million more than in 2020. These are increases that could go toward capital investments, which are at mere 374 million EUR, a major decline as a share of the budget compared to a decade ago. Kosovo spends a billion EUR on infrastructure”, Nikoloski said.

The opposition official noted that the public healthcare budget is increased by just 118 million EUR for 2020 and 2021, compared to the previous years, even though the Government is adding 1,6 billion EUR in deficit for this period, under the excuse of fighting the epidemic.