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Dear deputies, dear members of the Government!

First of all, before passing to the content of my speech, I would like to congratulate all the factions and deputies of the National Assembly for the effective debates of concern of the draft state budget for 2016. I would like especially to thank the deputies of the National Assembly, who regardless of their political orientations provided with the comprehensive budgetary debates with their active speeches and interpellations, assessing the achievements of the last years and pointing out the problems which need solution.

Certainly, the draft state budget is a document of political and economic importance which reflects the existing political, social and economic situation in the republic, the directions of the implementation of the social-economic policy and the tendencies of the development in the nearest period. In this respect,  the state budget for 2016 is based on the priorities of the social-economic development of the coming year and the effective balance and feasibility of the possibilities of their implementation. In particular, in the coming year the real GDP growth will be 2.2 per cent, the industry will grow by 3.7 per cent, and the agriculture by 4.0 per cent, the sphere of the services by 1.3 per cent and the sphere of the construction by 1.0 per cent. It is evident that the macro-economic forecasts of 2016 have been done from the realistic positions, pursuing a goal to create appropriate environment providing real preconditions for the further development of the economy, I think that this approach of the government is appraisable, taking into consideration the objective realities and difficulties, which exist at present and are outlined for the coming year.

The draft state budget for 2016 expresses the diverse problems existing in our republic and the possibilities of their solution. It has a distinct planned basis: the programme of the Government which enjoyed the appreciation of the National Assembly, the programmes of the perspective development and state mid-term expenditures approved by the Government. I would like also to highlight the fact that the draft budget has been mainly submitted in the planned budgeting format, which gives an opportunity to distinctly see the goals of the state expenditures, the events directed to their implementation and the expecting results.

Almost half of the expenditure of the state budget for 2016 is for the social-cultural sphere, i.e. the problems of the social sphere are always at the centre of attention of the authorities of the country, and all possible is done for their effective solution. Of course, we are not inclined that the steps being undertaken are sufficient for the drastic improvement of the social conditions. It is a long-term process conditioned, first of all, by the financial possibilities of the country. However, the authorities’ will is undeniable: to debate wider scope of social problems in the conditions of the existing possibilities and solve those problems at best.

We highlight the fact that, as in the previous years, in 2016 also the Government envisages concrete and consistent steps for the improvement of the business environment. In this context, I would like to especially focus the Government’s attention on the creation of necessary possibilities for the development of small and medium entrepreneurship, as in the world the entities of the small and medium entrepreneurship provide about 89 per cent of employment and 70 per cent of the GDP income. In this respect, the sphere of the small and medium entrepreneurship has a big potential of the development in our country, the main problem is the provision of the appropriate preconditions. The state support directed to the sphere should be targeted, purposeful and justified. At the same time, the government should apply practical means for the provision of the state support with the entrepreneurship activities, the priority of the fulfillment of the social obligations assumed by the state, the involvement of the financial resources necessary for the loan of the small and medium entrepreneurship and the implementation of the programmes with social direction.

Dear deputies, it is not a secret that at present we live in hard conditions in terms of geopolitical and world economic developments with their direct and indirect influence on our economy. In such situation the use of the substantiated and rational state resources is more than important, and its affirmation should be carried out in the very state budget. The needs of our country are numerous, and the means are scarce. The accumulated problems should be solved step by step through close cooperation of the National Assembly, and all political forces. We need more than ever consolidation of efforts for confronting the foreign challenges and overcoming with dignity the existing difficulties.

We know that there are numerous problems in the country, the solution of which requires time and wide scale resources. I would like to assure you that we are full of resoluteness to provide the development of the country and dignified life for our citizens. We are for the cooperation for the benefit of the country, for our citizens' well-to-do life. Our main problem is the development and strengthening of the country, and reaching that we have political will and distinctly elaborated programmes.

I am sure that the draft law of the state budget for 2016 will have its essential role in the provision of the inner and external security of the country, decent presentation of the country in the international arena, as well as meeting the minimum requirements of the members of the society needing social security.

Dear deputies, summing up, I would like to underline that the draft state budget for 2016 gives an opportunity to maximally face the challenges before our country and ensure sufficient guarantees for the solution of the existing problems. Thus, I urge you to give an opportunity to the government with our practical participation to more efficiently implement the solution of the social-economic problems of our state.