12th November 2020, Skopje – Today, Minister of Finance Fatmir Besimi submitted the 2021 Draft Budget to the President of the Parliament Talat Xhaferi, thus marking, in a symbolic way, the Draft Budget delivery to the highest legislative authority. The 2021 Draft Budget has been timely submitted to the Parliament, even before the deadline envisaged under the budget preparation process.

During the meeting, Minister of Finance Besimi underlined that to end of independent Parliament’s Budget – the proposal submitted by the Parliament has been incorporated in the 2021 Draft Budget, as delivered by the legislative authority, without any interventions by the Ministry of Finance.

Besimi stressed that under the 2021 Budget, systemic amendments are to be made, which will be the basis for more strategic, longer-term and more transparent public finance management in future, i.e. SMART finance concept. This Budget provides for introducing new medium-term planning concept – i.e. 5-year framework for capital projects, growth and deficit. Thus the planning capacities, as well as the target performance, will be strengthened. Moreover, mechanisms will also be put into place, aimed at assessing the impact of projects on the economy, as well as a system of rewarding and punishing for overperformance and underperformance.

The 2021 Draft Budget has also projected funds for coping with COVID-1 crisis. It is has three objectives – support to the health sector, support to the economy and systemic judiciary reforms and Euro-Atlantic integrations. This will be achieved through the Strategy for Economic Recovery and Intensified Growth (comprising four pillars – 1. coping with COVID-19 crisis, 2. sustainable and green growth, 3. competitiveness of the private sector and 4. human capital), as well as fiscal consolidation policies in the medium run. 

Minister pointed out that a democratic debate upon the Draft Budget is expected in the Parliament, a constructive discussion, which will provide for offering solutions and optimal performance. Besimi underlined that in times when the whole world and the global economy face one of the biggest crisis, decisions and solutions, which will put the health of citizens, as well as the economy first, are necessary. He went on that this is a time when it is extremely important to closely monitor the developments, to be agile – to act quickly, as well as to think strategically in the long run.

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