Government begins budget talks
The government today began debating the 2016 state budget, although much of it has already been divided up in the coalition agreement.
“Today was the first Cabinet sitting where Finance Minister Sven Sester and his team presented the economic forecast,” PM Taavi Rõivas said, adding that the economic prognosis will be made public on September 8.
Rõivas said much of the budget has already been divided up by the coalition agreement, signed in April, and by the state's budget strategy.
“We will probably have a very busy September to get the budget together,” he said.
Rõivas said the government has already decided to continue the conservative budget policy. “I am pleased to say that last year, and also this year, the situation has been a little better than planned. The budget was, and will probably also be in surplus this year,” he said.
The 2015 budget is around 8.5 billion euros, 6 percent higher expenditure and 7 percent higher revenues than in 2014.
Editor: J.M. Laats