Budget, Financial Services, Insurance, Legislation, Lithuania

67 MPs supported the improved draft budget, 16 were against with 5 abstentions. The parliamentary groups of the Conservatives and the Liberals were particularly against the planned Sodra budget.

Presenting the draft budget, Deputy Social Security and Labour Minister Laisvunas Bartkevicius said that the Sodra deficit in 2015 will be reduced to LTL 535 million (EUR 155 million), while a completely balanced budget can be expected only in 2017.

The projected next year's income of Sodra amounts to LTL 11.185 billion (EUR 3.242 billion), expenses – to LTL 11.72 billion (EUR 3.4 billion). Expenses are projected to exceed the income by LTL 535.4 million (EUR 155.18 million).

As reported, after the first consideration of the draft budget, funds for the programmes implemented by the Social Security and Labour Ministry were increased from LTL 2.9 billion to LTL 3.4 billion (from EUR 0.84 billion to EUR 0.98 billion). Additional LTL 102 million (EUR 29.5 million) will be provided to increase the salaries of civil servants working under employment contracts. Hence salaries of librarians, cultural, social care and other employees are expected to rise by 5% on average.