Ministry: Budgetary revenues amount to HRK 16,1 bln, expenditures to 19,7 bln

Budgetary revenues in this year's first two months amounted to HRK 16.1 billion, down 0.5 per cent on the year, while expenditures were HRK 19.7 billion, up 6.4 per cent on the year, the Croatian Finance Ministry said on Friday.

Revenues from VAT were a little over HRK 5 billion, down HRK 197 million from the first two months of 2009, while revenues from contributions were HRK 6.1 billion, down 6.3 per cent.

Revenues from VAT and contributions in the first two months of 2010 brought in HRK 613 million less year on year. The ministry said, however, that since the last day of February was a Sunday, about HRK 300 million of VAT revenues was paid on March 1.

Revenues from profit tax amounted to HRK 1.2 billion, down 3.5 per cent on the year. Revenues from income tax were HRK 333.4 million, down 6.2 per cent, while revenues from excise taxes amounted to HRK 1.1 billion, down seven per cent on the year.

The tax on all incomes and pensions, the so-called crisis tax, brought in HRK 410 million.

Property income went up 81.2 per cent to HRK 709 million.

Benefits for citizens and households accounted for the bulk of budgetary expenditures, HRK 10.4 billion, up HRK 192 million from the first two months of 2009. Pension expenditures went up HRK 271 million, unemployment benefits went up HRK 117 million, while health benefits were down HRK 215.5 million.

A total of HRK 5.8 billion was set aside for pensions in this year's first two months, of which HRK 2.7 billion came from the budget and the rest from contributions.

A total of HRK 3.2 billion was set aside for health, of which HRK 2.8 billion from contributions and HRK 372.7 million from the budget.

Budgetary expenditures for employees amounted to HRK 3.7 billion, down HRK 147.5 million from the first two months of 2009, while material expenditures amounted to HRK 1.4 billion, up HRK 251.1 million on the year.

In the first two months of 2010, HRK 998.7 million was set aside for subsidies, up HRK 184.1 million on the year. Subsidies for agriculture alone went up HRK 149.6 million.

The budget will not be augmented and intermediary products will be paid, for which HRK 250-300 million is necessary, the ministry said in response to questions about the financing of the agriculture minister's offer to pay 22 per cent of incentives in agriculture in the form of intermediary products.

(HINA)