OREANDA-NEWS. December 22, 2008. Next year’s budget for Murmansk town will be tough and aimed only at securing top-priority expenses like social security and wages for workers in the public sector. The Murmansk town council deputies have approved a budget with a 9,03 percent deficit.

Yelena Pribytkova, head of Murmansk town financial department, says that in connection with the general unstable economic situation and the uncertainty concerning the revenue side of state, regional and municipal budgets, there is little room for planning any capital spending. The biggest recipients in the budget are the department for education (48 percent), department for municipal services (19 percent) and department for health.

The town budget includes a 7,5 percent pay rise in January for workers in public sector, and a five percent pay rise for the same workers in September.