SKOPJE, Oct. 14 (Xinhua) -- The Macedonian government revised and approved the proposal for amending the budget for 2018 during Saturday's government session, Macedonia's Minister of Finance Dragan Tevdovski said on Sunday.
According to Tevdovski, the rebalance of the budget revises the GDP (gross domestic product) growth to 2.8 percent, maintains the deficit at 2.7 percent and cuts the expenditures and revenues for 0.5 percent.
"The rebalance aims to revise the expenditures, which will provide financial support for the municipalities and health insurance, pension funds and the employment agency," underlined Tevdovski.
According to the Macedonian finance minister, the draft rebalance reallocates about 48 million euros (around 55.5 million U.S. dollars) in financial support to municipalities for their overdue debts.
"The biggest redistribution allocation is for the municipalities in order to reduce expired and unpaid obligations of municipalities. The way of realizing the financial support of the municipalities will be confirmed by law," Tevdovski said.
Moreover, Tevdovski said that the laws are in the final processing phase and will be submitted to the parliament in the meantime when the plenary session will vote on the initiation of the constitutional changes procedure.
Macedonian government started the procedure for rebalancing the 2018 Budget in order to preserve the deadlines in accordance with the legal regulation for its approval by the Parliament until Nov. 15, in case the decision is made for holding early elections.
Macedonian Prime Minister Zoran Zaev had said that earlier elections could be held as soon as Nov. 25, as at least 45 days have to pass between the dissolution of the parliament and the polls.
On Oct. 8, the Macedonian government adopted a motion on starting the changes on the country's constitution, which is scheduled to be discussed in the parliament on Oct. 15 plenary session.
