Washington D.C., 25th April (MIA) – At the meeting with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to be held today and tomorrow in Washington D.C., Vice Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski and Minister of Finance Trajko Slaveski will present the resent set of measures of the Government and 2009 Supplementary Budget, MIA reporter said.
Washington D.C., 25th April (MIA) – At the meeting with representatives of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to be held today and tomorrow in Washington D.C., Vice Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski and Minister of Finance Trajko Slaveski will present the resent set of measures of the Government and 2009 Supplementary Budget, MIA reporter said.
Minister Slaveski, in his press statement, re-affirmed the position of the Government that the Republic of Macedonia needs no binding arrangement with the IMF at the moment, adding that should the economic situation deteriorate in the course of the year, it would be, according to all parameters, legitimate to request closer cooperation with the Fund.
According to Minister Slaveski, fundamental policy of the country is the most important, and the recent rationalization of the expenditures to their maximum is the same thing IMF would have requested. He pointed out the case of Serbia, where even concluded arrangement with the Fund does not guarantee improvement of the developments.
New set of measures of the Government, as Minister of Finance pointed out, supports the Macedonian economy, so as to realize at least minimum growth rate, projected to 1% of GDP.
He emphasized that newly projected budget revenues will be realized in line with the new growth projections, while the necessary EUR 120 to EUR 150 million to finance the deficit, projected at 2.8% of GDP, will be provided from treasury bills auctions, which has become practice in the country, as well as from resources from foreign sources as long as it is convenient. Slaveski also mentioned the Eurobonds, bilateral loan with a bank or loan from several banks.
Asked about recent IMF growth projections of – 2% in Macedonia, Minister Slaveski said that IMF bases its new projections on the general global developments.
Yesterday, before the official beginning of the Spring Meetings in Washington, Vice Prime Minister Stavreski and Minister of Finance Trajko Slaveski attended the meetings on the projections of the global developments.
– Nothing new can be heard. We are informed about their projections on regular basis. This was an opportunity to meet certain people and to exchange opinions, Minister Slaveski said, adding that, when meeting his Slovenian colleague, Mr. Franc Križanič, he was offered assistance for Macedonia within their possibilities and legal procedures. In the coming days, all possible ways of assistance from Slovenia to Macedonia in the financial area will be considered.
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