At this stage, MPs voted to approve the date for adopting the draft budget. A total of 96 MPs voted for 19 December, with no abstentions. No one opposed the proposal.
Finance Minister Rimantas Šadžius said the latest review of the draft budget resulted in a EUR 42 million rise in the expenditure. Out of this sum, EUR 6 million were earmarked for the funding of the State Security Department (VSD), EUR 20 million for road works, i.e. to asphalt gravel roads, and another EUR 5 million for the pupil’s basket for non-formal education.
"The Government has found some adjustments possible within the margin of error, which are not financially significant. First and foremost, we want to ensure that the needs of strengthening security and national defence are met," the minister told a plenary sitting in the Seimas on Tuesday.
"Under the revised budget plan, appropriations grow by EUR 78.5 million. Of which EUR 37 million have no impact on the deficit. The deficit is affected by those over EUR 40 million," Šadžius explained.
The Government also foresees raising the borrowing limit for the country’s defence by EUR 800 million that would allow boosting defence spending to 3.5% of GDP.
Conservative MP Gintarė Skaistė, former finance minister, welcomed the budget as continuing the projects of the previous government. If the draft budget is not amended by 19 December, the Conservatives will back it, she said.
MP Valius Ąžuolas of the Farmers and Greens said the draft budget was a "tragic" one and will have to be revised in mid-2025.
Under the revised budget plan for 2025, budget revenue remains projected at EUR 17.98 billion, while budget expenditure rises to nearly EUR 23.10 billion. Compared with the initial draft, expenditure went up by EUR 78.5 million.
The general government debt will amount to around 44% of GDP (43.2% in the first draft), while the general government deficit is projected to be 3% of GDP, the ceiling set by the Maastricht convergence criteria.