Siluanov names three structural areas for state budget spending in 2018-2020

Anton Siluanov file photo

MOSCOW. Sept 18 (Interfax) – The social sphere, defense and support for the national economy are the main areas of Russian federal budget spending in 2018-2020, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

“The bulk of spending is stipulated for allocation to the social sphere – this is 36.4% – and defense – 29%. We are fulfilling the plan for arms and military equipment procurement. The national economy – 14.7%. These are the three structural areas of federal budget spending,” Siluanov said at a meeting of the Russian trilateral commission on regulation of social and labor relations on Monday.

General budget spending parameters for the following two years have been increased compared to those stipulated in the 2017-2019 budget, by 300 billion rubles in 2018 and 200 billion rubles in 2019.

All previously approved budget liabilities are stipulated for fulfillment, he said. “The presidential decrees of May 2012 are also stipulated for fulfillment next year,” he said.

“By the way, we are supporting fulfillment of the decrees by the subfederal entities, because a significant portion of the burden, especially in relation to budget-financed salaries, is borne by the regions. In that connection, they are being allocated an additional 100 billion rubles above the standard of support to fulfill the salary payment task,” Siluanov said.

In other words, roughly 30% of salary increases for budget-finance employees in 2018 is being shouldered by the federal budget, he said.

[featured image is file photo from different occasion]

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