Draft budget approved, MPs to vote tomorrow

Manama : Parliamentarians will tomorrow vote on the draft state budget, which was approved by Economic and Financial Committee in the House of Representatives yesterday. 

The draft was approved by the committee following a month long intensive study and discussion. 

Confirming the move, Committee Chairman Abdulrahman Buali said in a statement that committee members passed a bill approving the State budget for the fiscal year 2017 - 2018.

“The Committee completed its report on the bill and submitted it to the office of the Speaker of the House of Representatives to include it, as a matter of urgency, on the agenda of the upcoming regular meeting of the house on Tuesday,” Buali announced.

Buali said that the committee members passed the bill following the directives of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa to include all amounts related to the citizens’ needs, and the instructions of the Prime Minister HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa to ensure that citizens’ gains and rights aren’t effected by any austerity and cost-cutting measures.

As reported earlier, the committee held several meetings with Finance Minister Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohammed Al Khalifa and the related official authorities to discuss the budget.

Committee members include MPs Mohammed Al Ahmed, Ahmed Qarata, Jalal Kadhim, Adel Hamid, Dr. Ali Bufarsen, Mohammed Al Emmadi and Dr. Majeed Al Asfoor.