"The preliminary program for the session includes more than 50 first priority bills," Boris Gryzlov told journalists on the first day after the State Duma's summer recess. "In addition to the draft budget, the State Duma will have to discuss many other bills in fall touching upon virtually all spheres of legal regulation."
Gryzlov said the draft budget, submitted Saturday, would address economic development, the social sphere and regional policy.
"Deputies proceed from the belief that work on the draft budget cannot be protracted," he said, adding that there would be less risk the government would fail to implement the budget if the Duma adopted it early.
The Duma will hold its first plenary session September 6.
Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Zhukov said Sunday the draft budget projected a considerable increase in government expenditures on the social sphere and the national economy.
"The 2007 budget differs considerably from the budgets of the previous years: its expenditures exceed the 2006 budget spending by more than 1,000 billion rubles (about $37 billion) or by one-fourth," Zhukov said. "These additional funds will be used to increase the budget's social spending and expenditures on the national economy."
Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov said Saturday the budget had been drawn up with a surplus of 1.5 trillion rubles ($55.5 bln), or 4.8% of GDP.
Budget revenues in 2007 are projected at 6.9 trillion rubles ($260 bln, or 22.3% of GDP) and expenditures are set at 5.4 trillion rubles ($203 bln, or 17.5% of GDP).
