Romania’s ruling coalition members agree over Bucharest's budget

The reformist platform USR-PLUS accepted to vote the budget planning for Bucharest municipality after mayor Nicusor Dan (Liberal, PNL) accepted to cut down the projected revenues from RON 7 bln (EUR 1.43 bln) to RON 6 bln (EUR 1,22 bln).

This is for the first time after many years when the Bucharest City Council passes a budget that is closer to reality, Bucharest vice-mayor Horia Tomescu (USR-PLUS) stated, G4media.ro reported.

The capital city's budget for this year provides for expenditures of RON 5.85 bln and revenues of RON 5.80 bln, according to the draft adopted on Friday at the Council, with 34 votes against five and 15 abstentions.

Mayor Nicusor Dan explained that some transfers from the EU budget (for purchasing electric buses), for instance, were taken out of the budget because they were not certain - but they may be added at a future rectification he stressed.

The EU-funded projects may be delayed, but will be completed next year, Nicusor Dan stressed speaking about the projects not included in the revised version of the budget.

USR-PLUS made it clear it would further push for bringing the total spending in line with the revenue through reforms.

"Now is the time to start reforms. Eliminating waste and dissolving municipal companies [set up by former mayor Gabriela Firea] are solutions that can help balance the revenues and expenditures of the capital's budget, along with limiting the operating costs of the municipality and streamlining its subordinate entities," said USR-PLUS through its official Facebook account.

(Photo: Remus Grigore/ Dreamstime)