WEEKLY REVIEW: Social commitments to be fulfilled despite budget revenues decrease
"National Managing Holding Baiterek will assist the car industry of Kazakhstan," Investments and Development Vice Minister Albert Rau told a briefing at the Central Communications Service held in Astana on October 28. According to him, the set of financial tools for supporting the country's automotive industry will be enlarged, but today the car industry companies fall short of current assets. "Kazakhstan's automobile manufacturing has increased tenfold for the past four years," he went on. "For the past nine months 122,000 of cars were sold the countrywide. 78% of them are imported vehicles, out of which 50% are the cars made in Russia," he said. "The national budget forecast for 2014 has been revised on the ground of the adjusted forecast of the national measures," Kazakh National Economy Minister Yerbolat Dossayev told the Majilis sitting last week. "In view of the GDP and import forecast reduction the budget revenues (exclusive of transfers) in 2014 are estimated at KZT 3 940,4 bln that is KZ 420,7 mln less than the approved plan," he added.
"Inflation indicators remain within the forecasted corridor of 6-8% as of the end of the year," Dossayev went on.
"With a glance to attracting additional special-purpose transfers the revenues of the national budget are forecasted to make KZT 7190,3 bln that is KZT 65,5 bln more against the approved amount," he resumed. At its plenary session the Majilis approved on October 29 the draft law "On amendments to the law "On republican budget for 2014-2016". "With the reduction of the forecasts for GDP and imports, the republican budget income, excluding transfers, in 2014 is estimated at KZT 3 trillion 940 billion, which is KZT 420 billion 700 million below the approved plan," said the National Economy Minister Yerbolat Dossayev presenting the bill.
Given the involvement of additional transfers, republican budget expenditures in 2014 will reach KZT 7 trillion 190 billion, with an increase of the approved amount by KZT 65.5 billion. According to him, the Government has opportunities to realize its plans, fulfill all its social commitments to the full extent despite some decline in economic development parameters. The same day the plenary session of the Majilis approved the draft law "On ratification of the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Government of the People's Republic of China on mutual provision of land for construction of buildings of diplomatic missions". According to Foreign Affairs Minister Eerlan Idrissov, Kazakhstan will provide the Chinese side a parcel of land in Astana for the construction of a building for the Chinese Embassy in Kazakhstan (leasing for 49 years). In turn, the Chinese side will provide the Kazakh party two pieces of land in the city of Beijing for the construction of the residence for Kazakhstan's Ambassador to China, and the building of our country's embassy (leasing for 49 years). "Croatia plans to open its diplomatic mission in Astana in 2015," 1st Vice Prime Minister - Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia Vesna Pusic told a briefing following the results of the talks with her Kazakh counterpart Erlan Idrissov. "We will open the diplomatic mission next year to boost business cooperation between the two nations," she added.
"Kazakhstan plans to purchase 61 western-made aircraft by 2020," 1st Vice Minister of Investments and Development of Kazakhstan Zhenis Kassymbek told a briefing held on Wednesday in Astana. "It is a move to expand geography of direct flights of Kazakh air carriers. It is planned to launch 75 new international routes by the end of 2020 to reach 128," he added.
"Air Astana has acquired 5 aircraft, Bek Air two planes and SCAT air company one since the beginning of the year. The ministry plans to complete reconstruction of air strips in Kostanay, Oskemen, Semey and Petropavlovsk by 2020," he resumed. "Kazakhstan reports decrease in child mortality rates by 12,4%, infant mortality by 14% for the past nine months as compared to the analogous period of the last year," 1st Vice Minister of Healthcare and Social Development of Kazakhstan Salidat Kairbekova told a teleconference On Thursday in Astana. Heads of regional healthcare departments, district departments and national healthcare organizations took part in it. It focused on urgent measures aimed at reducing maternal and infant death rates, mortality from cardiovascular diseases.
The vice minister drew attention to the importance of the issues debated that display efficiency of the healthcare development at large and the need for further updating of the maternity and child welfare services.
According to her, in order to improve the situation the measures will be taken for enhancing antenatal care and newborn nursing the countrywide. Kazakhstan has become the leader in terms of assistance in Central Asia and Afghanistan, said Permanent Representative of the UN Development Programme in Kazakhstan Stephen Tull signing on Friday the project document "Expert support to create in Kazakhstan a national system of official assistance to development" in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan Erlan Idrissov signed the document on behalf of Kazakhstan.. "Over the past eight years, Kazakhstan has become a leader in terms of assistance in Central Asia and Afghanistan. The country has already secured the supply of humanitarian aid in the amount of more than $ 60 million. Moreover,
Kazakhstan provided technical assistance to neighboring countries. It's time to organize and lead the official development assistance in line with international standards and the priorities of Kazakhstan's foreign policy," said S.Tull.
According to him, Kazakhstan is able to provide systematic assistance to other countries, contributing to the development of foreign policy and enhancing good-neighborly and stable relations in the region.
The joint project aims to support the work of the Foreign Ministry of Kazakhstan on the formation of a national system of official assistance to development.