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Macedonian parliament adopts 2019 budget

Europe Materials 22 December 2018 01:40 (UTC +04:00)

After three days' debate, a total of 61 Members of Parliament in Macedonia voted in favor and 15 against the 2019 budget on Friday, Xinhua reports.

According to the new budget, the revenues for 2019 are projected at 210.8 billion Macedonian Denar (MKD) (about 3.9 billion U.S. dollars), whereas the expenditures amount to 228.5 billion MKD.

The budget forecasts a Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 3.2 percent, projects a deficit to 2.5 percent of the GDP -- down by 0.2 percent compared to 2018, and sets an inflation rate at 2 percent.

On Wednesday, Macedonian Finance Minister Dragan Tevdovski said during the parliament debate that the aim of the 2019 budget is to boost GDP growth, offer better living standards to the citizens, ensure social justice, enhance rule of law as well as accelerate the processes for Macedonia's accession to European Union and NATO.

Moreover, the 2019 budget, according to Tevdovski, foresees fair taxation, rising of salaries of health care, education, public administration and defense employees.

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