Политика

The local parliament adopted the budget of the Municipality of Velingrad for 2002. to an extraordinary session on February 14 - the last possible term by law. The councillors received the materials only a day earlier, and mandatory committee meetings took place on the very day of the session. The chief accountant of the municipality Hristo Savov explained that the budget framework for 2002 is 8 567 946 leva, but the structure of the funds is more special: the total subsidy is reduced at the expense of the increased targeted subsidies for social benefits and capital expenditures.
The moods of most councillors expressed the chairman of the Committee on Education Emil Mollov: "I am outraged by the incorrect behavior of the state, because we are discussing at the last moment things that are predetermined." For another year, the councillors had to swallow the bitter pill that the state is giving less and less funds, which the local parliaments cannot counteract in any way, and on top of that by voting they have to legalize financial parameters with which they disagree. There were calls in the hall for the budget not to be voted by the Municipal Council because it is extremely restrictive and dooms the municipality. However, the voice of reason prevailed that Velingrad could not compete with financially stable municipalities such as Sofia or Varna, it should not be confronted with the Ministry of Finance and therefore the budget should be voted on. An expression of this opinion became the mayor Dr. Dafov, who warned that in each sphere are allocated 10% less for wages and should be expected 10 percent cuts from July 1, 2002. The state is shifting this burden on the municipalities, which is irresponsible, the mayor believes. He recommended the councillors to vote on the budget, but to come up with a declaration before the National Assembly that they disagree with the way it was determined.
The serious lobby of education advisers has led a debate over why the relative share of education money is declining each year. Mr Mollov pointed out that instead of the planned 44.3% relative share for 2001. Education in the municipality received only 35.55% and this despite the budget updates. In 2002 This share is planned to be 39%, which is detrimental. Mr Mollov also expressed doubts about why the mayor withdrew the proposal to pass the schools on the so-called delegated budgets.
There is no point in everyone drawing the rug to himself, the chairman of the Economic Commission, Georgi Mihaylov, opposes. According to him, the worst in 2002. will be the situation in the municipal hospital - a thesis that also supported the chief accountant. There is not a penny in the budget for the free medicines owed to the sick, nor for the increase in medicines. Mr. Mihailov proposed to urgently seek the dividends from the companies with municipal participation and all the reserves to obtain money. In 2002 The municipality will also face the huge new problem of paying for the mineral water used, he said. For his part, Zavarin Marov proposed with a declaration the Municipal Council to express its position that the budget is restrictive and that changes to the Water Act are needed. Placed in a forced position, all councillors present voted on the budget, only two abstained. However, a text of a declaration to parliament and the government was not proposed and voted on.
In parallel with the budget, the 2002 construction programme was also adopted. The municipality plans about BGN 100,000 for capital expenditures, which it will finance from its own budget funds - mainly money for replacement and installation of energy-saving lamps and for 50% shareholding in the project "Beautiful Bulgaria". A target subsidy of BGN 478,000 from the republican budget was allocated. A named list of the sites funded by the Privatization Fund totalling BGN 1,300,437 was also adopted. However, much of these sites have been outstanding since 2001. and even since 2000. What is new is that the municipality bet 20,000 leva for 4 cars (two of them for Social Care).
We vote all this money only as a wish, Chief Accountant Hristo Savov said in the hall. For the municipality financial year 2002. it emerges such that the "wish" actually sounds familiar: "There is no money - act!". An additional "extra" is that the budget was voted without reducing the forecast for local revenues, which will certainly be less than the set after the change of the garbage fee.