Union Budget 2012: minimum of new programs, maximum of funds to complete the old ones

Union Budget-2012 provides for the minimum quantity of new programs, whereas most funds will be appropriated for those fundamental programmes that were initiated in 2011, said the deputy of the Union State Parliamentary Assembly.

Union Budget-2012 provides for the minimum quantity of new programs, whereas most funds will be appropriated for those fundamental programmes that were initiated in 2011, said the deputy of the Union State Parliamentary Assembly.

In an interview with soyuz.by Chairman of the Standing Committee on Budget, Finance and Tax Policy at the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of Belarus, Deputy Chairman of the Union State Parliamentary Assembly Committee on Budget and Finance Alexander Antonenko noted that Budget-2012 has a lot in common with last year’s document, in particular – with regard to items on the budget.

“As a matter of fact, there are the same budget lines: the fortification of the frontiers, formation of Common Economic Space, military infrastructure. Besides that, the document provides for the minimum number of new programs,” said Alexander Antonenko. “The major portion of funds will be channeled into those fundamental programmes that were initiated in 2011: nanotechnologies, space technologies, provender milling and medications technologies”.

According to A. Antonenko, the most promising line is the development of new drugs based on human laktoferon which is obtained from transgenic animals’ milk. “These areas are actively being explored in Western Europe and China,” noted the deputy. “As a matter of fact it is a new branch, which should inject new dynamism into the development of medicine, including the treatment of tumors. The field of application is quite wide. For example, one of the areas is baby food”.

On the whole, conciliation-working group held three meetings to examine new draft programs. “New projects that can be included in next year’s budget are selected very carefully,” said Alexander Antonenko.