The Azerbaijani parliament recorded 98 votes for and 5 against
amendments to the state budget for 2010. The budget deficit was
reduced from $1.561 billion to $963 million, down from 3.9% to 2.3%.
Finance Minister Samir Sharifov said that there had been additional
expenses, due to natural disasters when the Kura and Araz rivers began
flooding.
Oil prices rose from $45 to $60 per barrel. The head of the
parliamentary committee on economic policy, Ziyad Samedzade, said that
the amendments to the budget were approved due to changes in oil
prices. Average oil price reached $75.5 per barrel, the prices are
expected to be $65-70 per barrel at the end of the year.
