December 18 (SeeNews) - Montenegro's government plans to be ready with the draft budget for 2021 by March, prime minister Zdravko Krivokapic said on Friday.
The government has to tackle numerous irregularities, inaccurate data, and embezzlement, and it decided to prepare a realistic draft budget by March, Krivokapic told a news conference aired live by public broadcaster RTCG.
"We have the money for next year. We even think we have secured money for 2022. We have the great support of international financial institutions and the European Commission," deputy prime minister Dritan Abazovic added.
All wages in the public sector and pensions will be regularly paid in January, February and March, Abazovic noted.
"The previous government had to adopt the draft budget by November 15 but did not do so. We came to power on December 4," he added.
Last week, finance minister Milojko Spajic said Montenegro issued a record-high 750 million euro ($919 million) bond on the international markets on December 9 to repay a 227 million euro debt maturing in March 2021, finance budget deficit and support innovation and startup funds.
($ = 0.8159 euro)