OREANDA-NEWS. February 09, 2010. Belarus’ Finance Ministry has posted a republican budget surplus of 500 billion Belarusian rubles (Br), or 0.4% of the gross domestic product (GDP) in January-December 2009, an official with the Finance Ministry told Wednesday.

The republican budget indicates spending and revenues of the central administration, whereas the consolidated budget also includes local budgets.

Republican budget revenues amounted to 46.8 trillion rubles in 2009, or 103.3% of the adjusted target for the whole year (and 85.3% of the original target).

Revenues from foreign economic activities amounted to 8 trillion rubles, 103.6% of the target, from the profit tax 2.7 trillion rubles, 100.8% of the target, fro the VAT 8.2 trillion rubles, 100.3% of the target, and Social Security Fund revenues were at 16.2 trillion rubles, 101.4% of the target.

Republican budget expenditures reached 46.3 trillion rubles, 100.2% of the target for 2009.

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko adjusted budget parameters for 2009 and changed the deficit-free nature of last year’s budget by introducing a 900 billion-ruble deficit by ordinance #670 dated December 31, 2009.

Lukashenko cut republican budget revenues by 9.616 trillion rubles, or 17.5%, to 45.283 trillion rubles, and expenditures, by 8.716 trillion rubles, or by 15.9%, to 46.183 trillion rubles.