Last Wednesday, a meeting of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh of Turkmenistan was held, at which the draft state budget of the country for 2023 was discussed.

As the Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized, the law “On the State Budget of Turkmenistan for 2023” proposed by the Majlis before its adoption will need to be radically analyzed and the main articles of this document should be done in accordance with the realities of the time

Chairman focused on such issues: whether a sufficient amount of work was carried out to prepare it; whether the document proposed by the Majlis corresponds to the tasks of further development of the country; whether there are issues of full and uninterrupted financial support of work on the further prosperity of the state and improving people's well-being; what remains to be done to improve this activity?

Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov focused on the fact that in the programs of socio-economic development of Turkmenistan on the periods of 2022–2028 and 2022–2052, the transformation of the social conditions of the population of villages and etrap cities until 2028 specifically defined the tasks for each year and their timely conditions were set in time.

In this regard, he turned to the meeting participants with the question: “Does the state budget for 2023 allow the tasks provided for in these documents?”. Noting that at present, the budget is not being monitored at the proper level, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov emphasized that order should be established in these areas. Noting that in the state budget for 2023 it is traditionally envisaged the increase by 10 percent wages, pensions, state benefits and scholarships, the Hero-Arkadag asked: “Is there enough an increase of 10 percent, is this enough for a decent life of the people?”.  

In this regard, the Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty emphasized that when considering the issue of increasing wages, it should first be proceeded from the country's socio-economic development program for 2022-2028, according to which in 2023 it is planned to increase the average monthly wage to 2506.3 manats.

The draft state budget does not provide for sufficient amounts of funds to support entrepreneurs, increase the volume of products manufactured in the ccountry. Insufficiently allocated funds to provide food abundance in local markets, privatization of state facilities and enterprises, the creation of joint-stock companies, an increase in the share of the private sector in the country's economy, - Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said, focusing on the need to create new industries and jobs.

- The state budget does not provide enough measures to address issues of ensuring employment of the population and further improving the standard of living of the people. As in previous years, the amount of funds allocated to the social sphere from the state budget should exceed 70 percent”, the Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh said.

Summing up the meeting, Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov proposed, having once again carried out specific and accurate calculations, and taking into account the comments made in all areas, to return the draft law on the state budget for 2023 to Majlis Milli Gengesh to finalize it, and then transfer it for re-consideration of the Halk Maslakhaty Milli Gengesh.