28 December 2007
Bujumbura — Members of the parliament are meeting in a plenary session aimed at approving the 2008 budget. The finance minister, Ms Clotilde Nizigama, is the special guest that has to answers questions that were asked to the second vice-president of the Republic, Gabriel Ntisezerana, a week ago. The plenary session that was due to start today at 9:30 started at 4:30 PM. Activities were carried out in commissions during whole day.
The budget that the finance minister is defending is colossal, and presents a deficit of 30 billion francs. The deficit amounted to 17 billion in 2007. The breakdown of the budget had given rise to many serious questions. The Presidency of the Republic and other political institutions have been allotted a lot of money. The budget presents new developments. The government has planned an account for good initiatives. This extra budgetary account comes to replace the special accounts that were decried by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
In a report of the parliamentarian commission in charge of the economic issues, Members of the Parliament demand the reallocation of means allotted to National Intelligence Services to the Agriculture ministry. The members of the parliament also demand an increase of all their allowances including mission fees.
The MPs' drift towards defending personal interests has become common for members of the parliament. Shortly before the elections of 2005, a law granting allowances the outgoing parliament was passed. Although the current President of the Republic was opposed to it, he has already signed the decree granting generous allowances to the retired Presidents of the Republic.
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