Syria’s Parliament has approved Saturday more than $1 billion in additional spending to bolster struggling state companies, Syria's official news agency (SANA) reported.
Syria's Finance Minister Khaled Mahayni was quoted by the agency as saying "the additional 2000 budget expenditures of 66 billion Syrian pounds (about $1.43 billion) are aimed at handling the financial problems and the previous accumulated debts of some public companies." Earlier this month, the Parliament approved a 322 billion Syrian pound ($7 billion) general budget for 2001, Bahrain Tribune said, citing the budget which shows 17 percent more than the 2000 budget and envisioned a deficit of 9.21 billion pounds ($200 million) -- Albawaba.com
© 2001 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
