State Minister of Finance Dr. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya said that a budget will not be presented for the year 2025 and instead, a vote-on-account will be submitted.
Speaking to the media in Ruwanwella yesterday, the State Minister said a vote-on-account will be submitted instead of a budget as a major election is slated for this year and added in that the past as well such things have happened in similar situations.
Siyambalapitiya pointed out that according to the Budget 2024, Parliamentary approval has been received to carry out revenue expenditure only up to December 31, 2024, and accordingly, approval should be taken from a separate budget for government expenditure for the year 2025.
The State Minister emphasised that since a Presidential Election is going to be held this year, a vote-on-account will be presented for the first quarter of 2025 as a more pro-democratic step to allow a winning candidate to present a budget later, as the budget is the most important document to implement a candidate’s policies practically.
Siyambalapitiya said with the approaching Presidential Election, the government has plenty of opportunities to present the budget proposals for next year by including the most attractive proposals, but instead had decided to follow a more democratic step accepted by the world.
He said this was a very important decision taken by the President as the head of the state while keeping the economic decisions and the elections apart.
Also, the State Minister further emphasised that a vote-on-account does not bring any new proposals, and through it, the state will only be allowed to meet the payment of government employees’ salaries and other essential state expenditure.
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