NA deputies discuss state budget balance in 2013

National Assembly deputies continued to sit on the afternoon of May 28, debating the state budget balance in 2013, with significant attention paid to overspending and revenue losses.
 

Deputy Do Manh Hung from Thai Nguyen speaking at the working session

Deputies Phung Duc Tien from Ha Nam and Do Manh Hung from Thai Nguyen complained about years of large and repeated overspending. Hung said that overspending in 2013 toppled over VND236 trillion, equivalent to 6.6% of GDP, exceeding the Resolution approved by the NA of 4.8%, negatively impacting national finances and public debt.

He asked for more specific reports from the government to address the concerns of NA deputies and the community.

Meanwhile, deputy Le Nam from Thanh Hoa raised concerns over under-spending on education, science and technology sectors and national contributors.

Deputy Tran Du Lich from Ho Chi Minh City expressed his annoyance, noting that for many years no one has been reprimanded or has taken responsibility for overspending.

As per overspending, Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung pointed out two causes: the increased spending on VAT refunds (VND13 trillion), and the increased disbursement of ODA (over VND29 trillion).

Minister Dung said that to prevent budget losses, the Ministry of Finance has co-ordinated with ministries, localities and authorised agencies to inspect more than 64,000 enterprises and have discovered many cases of tax fraud with several cases prosecuted.

He affirmed that public debt in 2013 accounted for 54.5% of GDP, which remained in safe limits and ensured national financial security.

Chairman of the NA Committee on Finance and Budget Phung Quoc Hien said that budget loss is also attributed to transfer pricing, tax evasion and tax fraud by foreign investment firms.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)