ANKARA - Implementation of a package increasing public revenues around 2.5 quadrillion Turkish liras (TL) and decreasing expenditures in order to reach primary surplus came onto agenda during the meeting on economy held under chairmanship of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday night.
Economy bureaucrats told A.A correspondent on Tuesday that some parts of the budget in which there was a possibility of deviation were taken up during the meeting.
The bureaucrats said that measures to be taken to reach 6.5 percent primary surplus were debated in the meeting.
Especially relaxing blockage on 4 quadrillion TL over investment appropriation, transfers and other current appropriation came onto agenda.
Within this framework, release of 2.8-2.9 quadrillion TL part of 4 quadrillion TL of blockage made due to Iraq war and continuation of blockage on 1.1-1.2 quadrillion TL part of that amount were discussed.
View that the amount of appropriation that can be blocked can be around 700-800 trillion TL according to course of the economy was also expressed.
A total of 500 trillion TL allocated for direct income support is among appropriation expected to be released.
Meanwhile, economy bureaucrats stated that a great deal of blocked appropriation were comprised of investment appropriation but that it would not cause a big cut in investments due to low rate of exchange.
-SPECIAL TRANSACTION TAXES ARE TO INCREASE-
Within the framework of new measures, special transaction taxes and rate of contribution to education will be increased by 60 percent.
It is calculated that this 60 percent rise will provide an additional income to the budget around 200 trillion TL.
Similarly, officials decided to register incomes, which are not used by the public institutions and which are in their private accounts, as revenue in the budget. An additional source of about 300-400 trillion TL is planned to be created with this arrangement covering revenues of some closed funds.
Meanwhile, it is stated that there can be an increase in some taxes including luxurious consumption tax taken from the fuel oil products due to the decrease in rate of exchange and some other reasons.
Saving around 150-200 trillion TL is targeted to be provided in some transfer items again due to the rate of exchange.
Income about 50-60 trillion TL is expected to be obtained from sale of hazel nut stocks of the state.
In the meeting, it was noted that State Economic Enterprise (SEE) balance recorded a progress positive than expected and stated that it stemmed from some SEE`s gaining an income more than the targeted.
-SPECIAL REVENUE AND APPROPRIATION-
Meanwhile, it was said in the meeting that special revenue and appropriation item, from which 1.8 quadrillion TL of saving was expected by the new year, would be around 1 quadrillion 150 trillion TL.
Amount of saving expected from this item decreased since source was allocated to distribute books free of charge and to educate successful students in private schools and since some expenditures were made due to Bingol quake and since motorway tolls were increased at a lower rate.
It was also stated that there was consensus in talks with the IMF delegation not to increase taxes too much.
(BRC-AÖ) 15.07.2003