MOSCOW, October 21 (RIA Novosti) - The lower house of Russia's parliament adopted on Wednesday in the first reading a draft federal budget for 2010 and key budget parameters for the period until 2012.
Needing 226 votes to be adopted, 315 State Duma members voted for the draft, with 131 against. There were no abstentions. All three opposition factions voted against.
In line with the draft, the 2010 budget will run a deficit of 6.8% of GDP, or 2,937 billion rubles ($100 billion). Budget revenues were defined at 6,950 billion rubles ($238 billion), and expenditure at 9,886 billion rubles ($338 billion).
The key budget parameters were calculated proceeding from the average annual price for Urals crude at $58 per barrel.
The authorities say the budget deficit will gradually reduce: in 2011 it is planned at 4% of GDP, and at 3% of GDP in 2012.
The draft has already been approved by the government.
The Russian finance minister said on Wednesday, citing a revised forecast, that 2009 budget revenues would go down 25% on 2008.
"Compared to last year, the revenues will reduce by 25%," Alexei Kudrin said during the first reading of the 2010 budget, adding that budget expenditure this year would increase by 31%.
Kudrin, who is also a deputy prime minister, reiterated that Russia has come out of a "technical" recession. He said that in 2010 GDP would grow 1.6%, and inflation would not exceed 10% next year.
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said earlier Russia's GDP could grow 3.1% year-on-year in 2010 as the economy picks up after the problems of 2009.
However, both the EBRD and the Russian authorities are unanimous in predicting an 8.5% decrease in Russia's GDP for 2009.
Central Bank First Deputy Chairman Alexei Ulyukayev said on Tuesday that Russia's 2009 inflation could be below 10.3%, compared with the projected figure of 11%.
The government expects to bring inflation in 2010 down to 9-10% and in 2012 to 5-7%. Inflation was 13.3% in 2008.
