Deputies look at the deficit with optimism

More than half of the 32 committees of the State Duma have already given generally positive feedback on the draft budget for 2023 and for the planning period of 2024 and 2025. All of them, in their conclusions, state with understanding that the main financial document was drawn up at a difficult time, in the face of sanctions pressure and falling incomes. The draft budget attracted the greatest support from those committees in whose areas spending will increase, such as, for example, from the committees for defense and youth policy.

The number of Duma committees that discussed the draft main financial document and gave their feedback on it reached 17. Eight of them spoke out in support of the budget last week, and over the past three days, nine more conclusions have appeared in the Duma database. At the same time, several more committees held meetings on the draft budget on October 12, but their responses are not yet available in the database.

In their conclusions, the committees recall that the budget was drawn up with a deficit “against the backdrop of a slowdown in global economic growth, ongoing sanctions pressure from individual foreign states, disruption of production and logistics chains in a number of sectors of the Russian economy traditionally oriented towards exports, as well as macroeconomic risks persisting.” But some committees are pleased to note that in their areas and industries, funding has increased even in these conditions.

Thus, the Defense Committee emphasized that the volumes of budget allocations allocated for the coming years “will make it possible to ensure the implementation of the main strategic goals for the development of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.” The share of spending on “national defense” in the total amount of federal budget spending (in 2022, according to the current law, it will be 16.9%) will grow to 17.1% in 2023, and will decrease in 2024 and 2025, respectively to 16.2% and 15.1%. In absolute terms, these costs will amount to almost 5 trillion rubles. in 2023, 4.6 trillion in 2024 and 4.2 trillion in 2025. Compared to previously approved plans, costs in 2023 will increase by 1.5 trillion rubles. At the same time, spending directly on the “armed forces of the Russian Federation” will be reduced and amount to 2.5 trillion rubles. in 2023 against 3.6 trillion rubles. this year.

Expenses for “mobilization and non-arms training” (in the open part of the budget) are provided for in 2023 in the amount of almost 18 billion rubles, in 2024 – 18.5 billion and in 2025 – 17.87 billion.

For 2022, 17.1 billion rubles were allocated under this item. The most noticeable increase in funds is allocated to “other issues in the field of national defense”: next year, almost 2 trillion rubles will be allocated for this. against 487 billion in 2022. Finally, expenditures under the “national security and law enforcement” section will also increase: in 2023 they will amount to 4.41 trillion rubles. (against 2.8 trillion rubles in 2022), in 2024 – 4.33 trillion rubles, in 2025 – 4.34 trillion rubles.

The Committee on Youth Policy considered it important to note in its review “the positive trend of annual growth in budget funding for youth policy”. In 2022, 35.6 billion rubles were allocated for this section, and 69 billion are already planned for 2023.

In the next two years, spending on youth will slightly decrease: in 2024 – to 61.5 billion, and in 2025 – to 57.9 billion.

Earlier, it was about much smaller amounts: for example, in 2019, only 10.2 billion rubles were provided for this budget item. Committee members also welcome the allocation of subsidies to the Victory Volunteers public movement, the Russian Schoolchildren Movement, the Association of Volunteer Centers, the Yunarmiya, and the autonomous non-profit organization Russia is a Land of Opportunities, including for organizing and holding the Leaders of Russia management competition and paying grants to the winners. In addition, the deputies positively assess the emergence of a new youth policy program in the constituent entities of the Russian Federation “Region for the Young” and the reservation of 18 billion rubles. to finance the activities of the recently created Russian Movement of Children and Youth.

The Committee on Family Affairs also found reason for optimism, stating a significant increase in spending on state support for the family, motherhood and childhood compared to the costs this year – by 969 billion rubles. (up to 2.7 trillion rubles in 2023). At the same time, the deputies consider it necessary to take into account the accession to Russia of four new subjects, as a result of which, in their opinion, expenses should be increased.

The Committee for the Development of the Far East and the Arctic, supporting the bill, pointed out, in particular, the need to increase funding for the program to provide housing to residents of these regions.

The Committee on Ecology, in turn, noted with regret that the 2023 budget does not provide for the cost of helping regions create shelters for homeless animals.

The Committee on State Construction and Legislation, in its conclusion, draws attention to the growth of budget allocations for the implementation of the state program “Justice”: in 2023 – by 6.7 billion rubles, in 2024 – by 9.3 billion, and in 2025 (compared to with the parameters of the budget forecast) – by 8.6 billion. The cost of this program will amount to 354 billion rubles in 2023, 383.9 billion rubles in 2024, and 395 billion rubles in 2025. “Overall, the proposed changes appear to be necessary,” the committee concludes.

But the Committee on International Affairs recorded multidirectional dynamics of expenditures under the subsection “International Relations”: if in 2023 they are planned to be increased compared to the volumes approved in the last year’s budget, up to 256 billion rubles, then a decrease is planned for the next two years (by 221 billion rubles in 2024 and 2025). At the same time, appropriations for the state program “Foreign Policy Activity” will decrease: in 2023 by 6 billion rubles, in 2024 – by 1.9 billion, in 2025 – by 464 million. As a result, 123 billion will be spent on this program in 2023 rubles, in 2024 – 131.6 billion, in 2025 – 132.9 billion. economic, scientific and technological development”, “Providing humanitarian assistance to foreign states”,” the review explains. In general, according to the committee, the amount of funding presented gives the Ministry of Foreign Affairs all the necessary opportunities for the implementation of Russia’s foreign policy.

Finally, the Committees for Industry and Trade and for Culture supported the draft budget. The latter specifically noted in his opinion that the proposed parameters of the main financial law were developed by the government in the conditions of “geopolitical pressure on Russia.”

Ksenia Veretennikova, Maria Makutina