Members of the Slovak Parliament reconvened on December 8 for their 25th session in this election term to discuss the draft of the state budget for the year 2000. The parliamentary budget debate was opened in the presence of nearly all the members of cabinet, including Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda. Finance Minister Brigita Schmögnerová introduced the draft.
The draft projects budget revenues of 183.6 billion crowns and expenditures of 201.6 billion crowns, leaving a deficit at 18 billion crowns. The fiscal deficit of the public sector should not exceed 28 billion crowns. The budget assumes a 2.5% GDP growth rate next year, average inflation between 10 and 11% and unemployment at 16 to 17%.
