Amendments for 2004 draft budget one step closer to being realized

On Friday the government finally accepted amendments to the draft 2004 budget. The Cabinet decided the budget deficit must not exceed zł. 45.5 billion and Economy Minister Jerzy Hausner promised that future work on the act will further limit the figure. He also announced that the Tripartite Commission was still debating over the introduction of a 19% tax bracket for those running companies, which would require the need to find further savings of zł. 2.2 billion. Hausner added, "I personally support this idea, as I think it will boost the economy". The Minister added that the draft budget would be accepted by the government on September 9. At around the same time the Finance Minister should also present his medium-term financial strategy up to 2007. (Rzeczpospolita, July 26-27, p. B2) M.M.