The first public hearing of the First Public Hearing of the Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending was held on 4 December 2022, as part of the 10th Committee sitting.
The topic of the public hearing was - PRESENTATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA 2023 BUDGET BILL AND THE BILL ON THE REPUBLIC OF SERBIA 2021 BUDGET FINAL FINANCIAL STATEMENT.
In his opening address, Committee Chairman Veroljub Arsic said that the Committee had decided to organise the public hearing in order to obtain information, that is, expert opinions, and enable interested parties and the public to familiarise themselves with the abovementioned bills.
The Republic of Serbia 2023 Budget Bill 23 and the Bill on the Republic of Serbia 2021 Budget Final Financial Statement were presented on behalf of the submitter by Minister of Finance Sinisa Mali, Governor of the National Bank of Serbia Dr Jorgovanka Tabakovic, Fiscal Council President Dr Pavle Petrovic and the Director of the Republic Statistical Office Dr Miladin Kovacevic.
Minister of Finance Sinisa Mali assured the citizens that the public finances of the Republic of Serbia are stable and despite the crisis lasting for the third year in a row now and the aid provided to the economy and the citizens, every macroeconomic indicator in Serbia is positive and the GDP would for the first time in history exceed 60 billion EUR.
The Minister stressed that the proposed budget for 2023 rests on three pillars - preservation of the citizens' living standards through an increase in pensions, salaries and minimum wages, continuation of large capital infrastructure projects and investment in the energy sector, both through the construction and renovation of the energy infrastructure, as well as through the procurement of all types of energy sources.
The Governor of the National Bank of Serbia Dr Jorgovanka Tabakovic said that the Republic of Serbia’s 2023 Budget is the result of the coordinated work of the institutions, stressing that it was both realistically drafted and achievable. She went on to say that wages are growing in both nominal and real value, listing as one of the many positive aspects the fact that foreign exchange reserves have not only been preserved, but additionally strengthened - they are 800 million EURs higher than at the end of 2021.
The Bill on the Republic of Serbia 2021 Budget Final Financial Statement was presented by the President of the State Audit Institution Council Dr Dusko Pejovic.
After the ensuing discussion, Committee Chairman Veroljub Arsic thanked all the participants of the public hearing for helping the members of the Committee on Finance, State Budget and Control of Public Spending considering the topic of the public hearing.
