The State Duma adopted in the first reading the draft federal budget for 2024–2026

The State Duma on Thursday adopted in the first reading the draft federal budget for 2024 and for the planning period of 2025 and 2026. Supporters of the document characterized it as a “victory budget” and appealed to the fact that everyone should vote for it, so that no one abroad would think of a split in the Russian elite. But there was no consolidated position: the Communists and Socialist Revolutionaries voted against it.

The total amount of spending on national defense next year will amount to almost 11 trillion rubles, because all state resources are “concentrated for the main task – our victory” in a special military operation (SVO), and 29% of all planned expenses are allocated for this, he immediately warned deputies, Finance Minister Anton Siluanov. Before the SVO, defense spending was 14%. He called the second priority task “fulfillment of social obligations”: 11 trillion rubles are allocated for them. Here the minister announced an innovation: the draft main financial document provides resources for the creation of a state fund to support SVO participants – about 30 billion rubles. for three years. Mr. Siluanov named the technological development of the country as the third priority.

Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin admitted that “there are colleagues who may not support the budget,” but the importance of the above goals and objectives is “obvious to everyone.”

Chairman of the Duma budget committee Andrei Makarov (United Russia, United Russia) showed the deputies the first federal budget, which the Duma adopted 30 years ago, which fit on only 32 pages and, in the opinion of the United Russia member, had “nothing to do with either reality or the security of people.” The current draft is a completely different matter, although not everything is going smoothly with it either, and United Russia has sent its proposals to the second reading, Mr. Makarov noted, expressing the hope that the budget in the first reading will be supported by all factions.

Chairman committee on agrarian issues Vladimir Kashin (Communist Party of the Russian Federation) complained about the underfunding of the agro-industrial complex (AIC), which is why “the Russian village lives in darkness.” Anton Siluanov responded by assuring that the agro-industrial complex is a priority area: 550 billion rubles are now allocated for it. in 2024, and in last year’s project 466 billion rubles were planned.

Andrei Isaev (United Russia) asked the minister to confirm that both the federal center and the regions have funds to implement all tasks.

Mr. Siluanov assured that “all social obligations at the federal level are provided with funding,” and “there are reserves” to support the regions if something happens.

Vladimir Koshelev (LDPR) asked why the amount of 10 billion rubles allocated to provide housing for orphans has not increased over the years. Anton Siluanov explained that, first of all, this is the obligation of the regions, and they increase funding every year.

Anna Skroznikova (“New People”) asked why spending on schools for children with disabilities has been reduced. The pledged money “is enough to fulfill the plans,” the minister retorted.

Chairman Committee on Labor and Social Policy Yaroslav Nilov (LDPR) raised the traditional issue for liberal democrats of indexing pensions for working pensioners. He proposed to start by doing this at least in relation to pensioners working in healthcare and the social sector. Indexation by individual professions is “not a very good proposal,” Mr. Siluanov assessed the idea.

Speaking from the faction, the leader of the Communist Party of the Russian Federation Gennady Zyuganov noted that “only two sections” are growing in the draft budget – expenses for the central military district and debt.

“At the end of the three-year period, we will pay almost 2.5 trillion in debts,” the communist believes. But if the government had accepted the proposals of the Communist Party, it would have been a “development budget” and not a “dead end,” Mr. Zyuganov complained. He is also disappointed that the proposal to “adopt the experience of national enterprises” has been ignored. “One in each region – and we will overwhelm them with our products and also feed half of Europe. They don’t want to accept what is completely obvious, I just don’t understand this logic,” the communist was perplexed and ultimately rendered a verdict that his party would not vote for the proposed document.

But LDPR leader Leonid Slutsky found his argument in favor of the budget: “But if we don’t accept the budget? What will the world say? That Russia is torn to shreds, it can’t even accept a budget.” He also referred to Art. 190 of the Budget Code, according to which, if the budget is not adopted, “financing will be based on one-twelfth of the obligations that were this year.” This means: it is impossible to allocate additional money for defense, to support the families of military personnel, or for the village, the deputy explained. “This budget is called “Everything for the front, everything for victory.” This is the name of this budget,” declared the leader of the LDPR, drawing applause. “Today we should not hype, but work shoulder to shoulder for victory, for the country and for the sound ideas of the president.”

Valery Hartung, speaking from the faction “A Just Russia – For Truth,” entered into a debate with the liberal democrat: “If we consider the struggle for banknotes that we have in the oil and gas and financial sectors to be a front and a victory, then this budget is for the front and a victory, but only the front and victory are elsewhere.” Socialist-Revolutionary stressed that the oil industry will receive 3.3 trillion rubles. Mr. Hartung recalled his proposal to cancel the tax maneuver in the oil industry, as well as the reluctance of the Cabinet of Ministers to index pensions for working pensioners. “We don’t need such a budget,” the deputy concluded.

“There was money, there will be money, and, what’s remarkable, there is money even now,” Rosa Chemeris (“New People”) noted optimistically.

But the main thing is how they are spent, the deputy emphasized: by the second reading, her party will make amendments so that spending on health care and education remains at the 2023 level.

Andrei Makarov, speaking from the faction, hinted that not everyone was equally active in working on the draft budget: “The LDPR and New People and I did not just plow the entire budget, we resolved issues together. Members of these factions, Vladislav Davankov and Kaplan Panesh, went through every state program, every figure with us.” As for the oil maneuver, thanks to it, costs for social policy are increasing, United Russia noted.

As a result, 320 deputies voted for the draft budget, 80 voted against it, and there were no abstentions. The second reading is scheduled for November 15.

Ksenia Veretennikova