Romanian Parliament approves 2013 budget, 'the best the country can have today'

Romania's Parliament late on Thursday (February 7 ) approved the country's state budget for 2013, with 309 votes for and only 108 against. Prime Minister Victor Ponta said after the Parliament vote that this isn't a perfect budget, but is the best the country can have today. The social insurance budget was also approved with 310 votes for and 109 against. Only one of the proposed 38 amendments to the budget was approved. The approved amendment states that the authorities which decide on how money should be spent have to send the Finance Ministry a detailed report with structure, functions and maximum jobs financed by the budget within 30 days after the budget is enforced. The main opposition party in Romania, the Social Democratic Party (PDL) left the Parliament in the middle of the vote, after midnight on Friday, saying a new day had begun and that the new meeting didn't have any quorum. The budget was voted in phases, for each Ministry. Without the PDL delegates, the remaining MPs voted for the Education Ministry budget with 123 votes for and 23 against. PDL representatives went on to say the vote was incorrect, and that the majority in the Parliament committed an abuse. PDL plans to appeal the result of the vote at the Constitutional Court. editor@romania-insider.com