Budget cuts turned into law

TIRANA, July 26 – The majority approved on Monday in the last session of this parliamentary season some changes to the 2010 draft budget which cut spending by 25 percent in an effort to keep the public debt under control and lower budget deficit.
The bill received only the majority’s 75 votes while the opposition walked out of parliament after harsh debates with Prime Minister Sali Berisha and said it was denied the right to discuss in detail every article of the budget law.
Premier Berisha said the budget cuts were aimed at conveying positive messages to domestic, European and global financial circles.
Berisha said he was confident that Albania’s economic growth would be the highest in Europe for this year considering “the double-digit growths in transport, trade and the unprecedented rise in exports.”
Meanwhile, opposition Socialist Party parliamentary group leader Gramoz Ruci reiterated accusations of government trying to hide the country’s financial crisis.
“An Albanian citizen gets 242 euros a month and this is the lowest rate in the region,” said Ruci referring to the recent wage and pension increase approved by government.