JEDDAH, 9 December 2003 — Abdul Aziz Al-Salim, secretary-general of the Council of Ministers, denied press reports that the national budget for 2004 was to be announced yesterday.
Speaking to Al-Yaum Arabic daily, he said Finance Ministry officials were holding last-minute meetings to finalize the budget, which is expected to be a surplus one thanks to an increase in oil prices. Al-Madinah Arabic daily quoted informed sources at the Finance Ministry as saying the new budget would project expenditures at SR200 billion, SR9 billion less than the current year’s. The paper attributed the fall in expenditures mainly to the merger of some ministries.