Centrist Duma faction forecasts fast approval of 2003 budget draft

Members of the Yedinstvo (Unity) parliamentary faction think that the 2003budget draft "fully corresponds the economic potential of the country,"Deputy Head of the Duma budget committee Vladislav Reznik, who is alsoDeputy Chairman of the Yedinstvo faction, announced at a meeting withjournalists today. He stated that all items in the budget draft had alreadybeen thoroughly elaborated on by the Cabinet and parliamentarians. Thebudget draft has been marked up with amendments, the deputy said. He notedthat any further amendments would taste of activities prior toparliamentary elections. Therefore, the budget draft could be passedwithout amendments on the first, second and third readings at once, withoutany political declarations by left-wing factions or some right-wingrepresentatives, Reznik was quoted as saying. However, this is impossibleaccording to the parliamentary regulations. The Yedinstvo official notedthat no constructive criticism of the budget draft was expected in theDuma, except for traditional statements of left-wing factions, and the 2003budget draft was forecasted to be approved fast..