MOSCOW, May 24 (RIA Novosti) – The lower chamber of the Russian parliament, the State Duma, on Friday approved in the third and final reading the amendments to the country’s 2013 budget.
The main parameters – the overall budget incomes and expenditures and the budget deficit – remain the same.
The bill re-allocates 171.2 billion rubles ($5.5 billion), including directing additional 64.6 billion rubles ($2 billion) for social projects and 72.9 billion rubles ($2.3 billion) for measures to support economy.
Extra funds of 14.9 billion rubles ($475 million) will be allocated to support projects in science, culture and sports, including 6.1 billion ($194.7 million) to prepare ceremonies to open and close the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.