Draft budget law allocates $2.6bn for 2012

Total government spending in 2012 is set to reach $2.62 billion, an increase of 9 percent on the $2.4 billion the government had budgeted to spend in 2011, according to a copy of the 2012 draft budget law obtained yesterday. As part of the new budget, more government spending will go toward national defense, social affairs, agriculture, industry and commerce. Despite the rise in state expenditure, a senior economist warned that the increase was not enough to make up for inflationary pressures, and urged the government to invest more in the country…