Budget amendment increases deficit by billions

Law and Justice absent from the Sejm lower parliamentary house on Friday, 13.09.2013, as a sign of solidarity with protesters. Photo: PAP/Jacek Bednarczyk

While the overall deficit will increase, the amendment chopped 7.7 billion zloty from ministerial budgets, however.

The budget amendment comes as tax revenue did not meet expectations between January and July. The revised forecast now shows revenue for 2013 at 275 billion zloty, with expenditure reaching 327 billion zloty – with a deficit of some 51.5 billion zloty.

The amendment bill sailed through parliament, with 253 MPs voting for the changes, with 73 against and 3 abstentions.

Members of the largest opposition, the conservative Law and Justice, boycotted the vote altogether and did not turn up to parliament as a gesture towards the protesting unions against the government in Warsaw last week. (jb)