By B Izzak

KUWAIT: The National Assembly on Tuesday decided to postpone the debate over the state budget for the 2022/2023 fiscal year after the government withdrew the reports following strong objections from MPs. Head of the Assembly budgets committee MP Adel Al-Damkhi said he will meet Finance Minister Abdulwahab Al-Rushaid to discuss remarks and comments made by lawmakers during the session. During the debate, Damkhi asked MPs to send written remarks over the budget in the next two days.

Speaker Ahmad Al-Saadoun said all comments made in the session will be sent to the budgets committee, and adjourned the session until next Tuesday. The budget was studied by the previous Assembly before it was resolved on the basis of reports provided by the previous government, which was changed following the general polls in September.

MP Hasan Jowhar said that he cannot accept that the new government should inherit the legacy of the previous government, especially in the budget, adding that this budget led to the fall of the previous government. MP Hamad Al-Obaid said the budget should not be approved hastily and should be debated in a professional way, adding the Assembly cannot be held responsible for mistakes made in the past and many of the budget's provisions should be amended.

MP Abdulaziz Al-Saqabi said the Assembly is discussing the state budget, but the same structural defects of the past decade still exist. MP Jenan Bushehri said this budget was presented by the previous government, and accordingly is not a reflection of this government's program. Under Kuwaiti law, the fiscal year starts on April 1 and ends on March 31 the following year. This year's budget has been delayed for several months as a result of dissolving the Assembly and holding elections.

MP Abdulwahab Al-Essa said the budget would have projected a deficit of KD 4 billion if oil prices remained low, because government promises to increase revenue from non-oil sources remain largely unfulfilled. The budget projects a surplus of around KD 300 million, the first since the 2015/2016 fiscal year, as revenues are estimated at KD 23.4 billion and expenditures are projected at KD 23.1 billion.

Oil income is estimated at KD 21.3 billion, while non-oil income is estimated at KD 2.1 billion. The finance minister said the government has spent some KD 490 million on frontline workers in 50 departments during the coronavirus pandemic, while around eight more remain.