PARLIAMENT OF KAZAKHSTAN HAS APPROVED BUDGET-2000 WAS READ THE FIRST TIME

/REUTERS Almaty office, Sep.28, 99/ - Parliament of Kazakhstan has approved project of the budget-2000 and macroeconomic forecast till 2002 provided that the government will not cut down social spending, including for pensions and social benefits. "Project of the republican budget is approved in the first reading under condition of achievement (with the Government) of agreement on several points", - has told speaker of Parliament Marat Ospanov. The deputies have insisted that the government should not to reduce a maximum size of pensions to 8.700 tenge from 13.400 tenge, and should to save the state social benefits for the invalids of the third group. In reply to fulfillment of these conditions by the Government, the deputies have approved the main parameters of the republican budget-2000: revenue - 286.423 billion tenges, official transfers - 52.518 billion tenges, redemption - 1.272 billion tenges, on expenses and crediting - 404.77 billion tenges with a maximum level of budget deficiency of 63.8 billion tenges (3% GDP). The deficiency of the republican budget-2001 was approved by the deputies at a rate of 2.2% GDP, for a 2002 - 1.2% GDP. "For me it was a very large lesson - present discussion, we crossed the Rubicon and accepted the difficult decision", - the Prime minister has told to the deputies after voting. The deputies and government have created commission of conciliation, which will work above the disputable articles in the budget's social block. The second reading of the bill is appointed on October 26.