Specialty commission from the Romanian Parliament start debates on the 2010 state budget today, Tuesday, December 5. The budget should be voted by January 20, when International Monetary Fund, European Commission and World Bank missions are expected to return to Bucharest.

President Traian Basescu proposed in a letter addressed to the Parliament's leadership that the state and social insurance budgets be discussed and approved by January 16, and during January 16-19, these should be published in the Official Monitory, while the EC, World Bank and IMF commissions are invited over.

Senators and deputies may submit amendments to the authorised commissions between January 4 to 6, according to the 2010 schedule for the state budget and social insurance budget debate and approval. Plenary discussions are set to start on January 11.

The 2010 state budget drafts have been submitted by the Government in the Parliament on December 24. The state budget project takes into consideration an economic growth of 1.3% and a 3.7% inflation rate.