Berisha says 2011 budget to be Albania’s biggest ever

TIRANA, September 1 – Prime Minister Sali Berisha says the 2011 budget, which is being drafted by central and local government institutions, will be the biggest ever in the country’s history, strongly supporting economic growth and macroeconomic stability.
Speaking on Wednesday’s government meeting, Berisha said next year’s budget priorities would be road infrastructure, tourism, wage and pension increase as well as IT and the modernization of the state administration.
He said the budget must be submitted for government approval within this month and sent to parliament in October for thorough examination.
“The budget will support the construction of new roads such as the Arbri road, Tirane-Elbasan highway, the completion of the Levan-Vlore motorway, hundreds of secondary roads and the reconstruction of water supply and sewage systems, schools and healthcare facilities.”
Describing tourism as one of the key sectors, he called on the tourism ministry to make legal changes guaranteeing protection to public beaches which are being invaded by private businesses often discharging waste straight into the sea.
Berisha said the grants in the 2011 budget must have tourism as their main destination mainly focusing on water supply and sewage systems.
He promised government would further increase wages and pensions.
“The pension increase is an obligation toward the elderly who do not get what they deserve despite increases.”
Last July, the Democratic-Part led coalition cut the 2010 budget by 39 billion lek (around 380 million dollars) in an effort to lower budget deficit to 3.1 percent and keep public debt at 59.5 percent by the end of this year. The 2010 budget foresees 333.6 billion lek (3.3 billion dollars) in revenues and 371.7 billion lek in expenditure cutting deficit to 38 billion lek, down from 49.7 billion in the previously approved budget.