The second budget amendment this year, on the Government table

The Government discussed today the adjustment of the state budget and of the social security budget, will adjust the deficit, according to the agreement with IMF and EC from 4.6% to 7.3% of GDP, said Gheorghe Pogea, Minister of Public Finances.

"The budget corrections will affect all ministries in a fair manner, because I am interested in securing the state money as well as the money for investments. We also considered the reduction of the staff, equivalent to introducing the 10 days of holiday, the expenses with goods and services, because that is the case, the revenues decreased a lot", said Pogea.

According to him, the rectification aims to cut the costs with salaries, prizes, supplies and services by 4.5 billion lei (0.9% of the GDP), and to supplement the budget of the Internal Affairs Ministry, the one for the pensioners and unemployment, but also to increase the state bonds. The first amendment of the 2009 budget was made in April, following the loan agreement with the IMF and the EC.

- Translated by Sorin Balan