The Zagreb City Assembly today accepted the city budget for 2013 with revenues of 6.67 billion kuna and expenditures of 6.66 billion, although it was deemed an election budget by the HDZ and they voted against it.
The head of the City Office for Finance, Slavko Kojić, stated that it is good that the City Assembly decided to accept the Zagreb budget as there will soon be ‘local elections, and also the end of the world’.
He noted that in the second reading, assembly amendments amounting to 86.5 million kuna were accepted, the largest part of which relates to the construction of facilities in Kajzerica and to settle debts of healthcare institutions.
Igor Rađenović (SDP) welcomed the fact that the City Administration accepted part of the amendments, but also warned that the problem of public transport financing has not yet been resolved, so it is clear that ZET must consider other solutions and items in the budget.
Margareta Mađerić (HDZ) stated that the budget does not reflect economic momentum, nor does it encourage small and medium-sized enterprises. She assessed that the City Assembly must not succumb to political squabbles aimed at weakening the opponent. ‘The budget should be a priority, and party matters should not be visible in the budget,’ she added.
– If we had more wisdom and understanding, perhaps some percentage of revenue could be higher – said Zagreb Mayor Milan Bandić.
He assessed that the fact that the city budget is at the same level as this year’s places the City of Zagreb in a satisfactory position.
– We have not given up on stabilization measures, and we have also taken into account government guidelines – he said and expressed hope that by January they would read the first positive effects of the budget in joint synergy.
