Abkhazia Adopts 2022 Budget

Lawmakers in occupied Abkhazia approved today the region’s 2022 budget, setting this year’s revenues at RUB 9.43 billion (USD 122.9 million) and expenditures at RUB 9.98 billion (USD 130.2 million), while the deficit stands at RUB 554.2 million (USD 7.22 million), RFE/RL’s Russian-language Ekho Kavkaza reported.

The revenues include the Russian financial aid for social and economic development amounting to RUB 4.38 billion (USD 57 million), as well as an additional RUB 1.35 billion (USD 17.6 million) allocated for implementing the 2020-2022 investment program.

Before endorsing the budget, however, the lawmakers voted to remove from the list of the authorities’ proposed expenses the payment of RUB 55 million (USD 718 thousand) in compensation to Russian businessman Mikhail Panov.

The provision had caused controversy in the first hearing of the budget back in December, when some lawmakers — including the chair of the budgetary committee Natalie Smyr — suspected the authorities were with the payment helping “a friend at the expense of the budget.”

Also, the lawmakers approved yesterday the deficit-free budgets of non-budgetary funds, allotting RUB 1.29 billion (USD 16.8 million) to the pension fund; RUB 209.3 million (USD 2.7 million) for “repatriation” fund; RUB 166.2 million (USD 2.17 million) for the fund for the disabled veterans; RUB 122.8 million (USD 1.6 million) for social insurance and labor protections; RUB 45.5 million (USD 595 thousand) for medical insurance;

Sokhumi-based Apsnypress reported on February 17 that lawmakers also set the revenues of the road fund at RUB 115 million (USD 1.50 million) and expenses amounted to RUB 119 million (USD 1.55 million).

The adoption of the new budget was delayed after “finance minister” Vladimir Delba tabled the draft to the legislature on December 2, a month later than the November 1 deadline.

The adoption of Abkhazia’s budget was hampered in 2021 as well. Voted down in the first hearing, it was eventually endorsed on March 31.

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