The Chamber of Deputies approved the 2004 National Budget yesterday, with 123 votes in favor and 12 against. Of the PRD block, 71 voted in favor, while the PRSC accounted for 29 in favor and 2 against. Of the PLD block, 22 voted in favor, 8 voted against and 9 abstained. The bill to implement the financial plan moves on next to the Executive Branch for its signing and publication.
PRSC Deputy Licelott Marte de Barrios denounced that the Senate was in such a rush to move the budget on to the Chamber of Deputies that it violated certain procedures. She said that the Senate approved the budget on Tuesday and sent it to the Chamber of Deputies prior to endorsing the bill on the Selective Consumer Tax that increases assessments on alcoholic beverages and electronic appliances, among other items, revenues of which were included in the budget. The approval of the 2004 budget is required for the resuming of the IMF stand-by arrangement that was suspended last year when the government bought back the power distributors, taking on a large debt.