Hungarian lawmakers pass headline figures of 2023 budget amendment

Lawmakers on Monday passed an amendment of the headline figures of this year’s budget.

MPs voted 125 in favour and 63 against.

Central subsystem spending will amount to 39,776 billion forints as against income of 36,375 billion, with a resulting deficit of 3,400 billion forints, larger than the target of 2,352 billion forints in the original budget.

The operating budget will be changed to 32,479 billion forints from 27,017 billion on the spending and income side, while the accruals side will increase to 3,502 billion from 3,000 billion, with a deficit of 1,851 billion forints.

Spending related to the European Union development budget rises to 3,793 billion forints from 3,407, while income increases to 2,244 billion from 2,057 billion.

The fund designed to protect consumers from outsized energy bills has been increased to 2,579 billion forints this year from 670 billion forints approved last year, while the national defence fund stays level at 842 billion forints.

The 2023 budget was first adopted in July 2022.

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