2013 budget bill submitted to Saeima

RIGA - Upon submitting the symbolical 2013 budget portfolio to Saeima today, Finance Minister Andris Vilks (Unity) also presented a flash memory with next year's budget and the budget of next three years to Saeima Speaker Solvita Aboltina (Unity).

Vilks emphasized that the 2013 budget is the first one in four years drafted by Latvia without the assistance of international lenders.

Receiving the portfolio, Aboltina said she was pleased that the 2013 budget was drafted by Latvia single-handedly and emphasized that Latvia has already reached the level of growth that the international lenders predicted for the country to reach in 2017, and passed the portfolio on to Saeima Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Janis Reirs (Unity).

Reirs predicted that the most heated debate is expected regarding demographic matters, promising to support the government's stance - support for demographics is not only about benefits, but also about supporting labor force, education and health care.

He informed that the 2013 budget will be reviewed in the first reading on October 22, in the second reading - on November 15.