The budget of the capital’s mayor’s office for 2024 was voted by the general council on Friday with 51 votes “for” out of 51 councilors present, i.e. unanimously. This after it was rejected three times as PNL and PSD councilors proposed 1.5 billion lei in amendments to provide more money for subsidies, disability benefits and social housing, but without specifying where the cuts would be made. And this time they came with amendments, but modest ones, about 650 million lei, and indicated where the money should come from.

The PSD and PNL municipal councils demanded an additional allocation of 240 million lei for the heating subsidy, 200 million lei for the public transport subsidy, and 150 million lei for the partial payment of child support arrears for disabled adults. an additional allocation of 25 million lei for the food bank and 25 million lei for social housing in Prelungirea Ghencea and 1.3 million lei for the Ciurel Penetration – A1 Highway – Ciurel Bridge project.

To compensate, 25 million lei were cut from PROEDUS, 17 million lei from ARCUB, 13 million lei from CREART, 20 million lei from ALPAB, 30 million lei from the Street Administration, 20 million lei from Consolidation of Buildings with Seismic risk, 56 million lei from capitalization of the municipal company Trustul de Clădiri Metropolitane, 50 million lei from the legal department – expenses with lawyers and compensation, 40 million lei from the rehabilitation of the Dâmbovița box, 15 million lei from the consolidation of the building of the bd. Queen Elizabeth 29-3. The advisers explained that the reduction of investments and compensations are not affected, because the amounts are provided for the whole year and must be paid monthly, in installments.

The amendment was adopted with 32 votes “for”, 5 abstentions and 13 “against”.

And General Mayor Nikushor Dan submitted an amendment, with which he made adjustments to the proposed draft budget and increased revenues by 258 million lei, money that comes from a loan taken out by the municipality. The amendment was supported by 49 votes.

Why PNL and PSD have not yet voted for the budget

On March 11, the budget of the capital city hall for 2024 failed for the third time in the General Council of the Municipality of Bucharest, as the PNL and PSD did not support the form proposed by the General Mayor Nikusor Dan.

PSD and PNL kept their amendments made at the previous meeting, but without indicating the source of the requested money. The PNL proposed an amendment to increase heating and public transport subsidies, including about one billion lei, while the PSD proposed an amendment including 1.5 billion lei for heating subsidies, disability aid arrears, social housing and the food bank.

Nikushor Dan then explained that the difference of 1 billion lei in subsidies requested by the PNL will be aimed at correction, since the subsidies must be paid in installments, every month, and the money provided for in the draft budget will arrive by September. In addition, the mayor-general proposed an amendment to allocate another 260 million lei for the heating subsidy, compared to the one billion originally allocated in the draft budget. The PNL, however, was not satisfied. “If we allocated the entire amount now, we would have blocked certain investments,” Nikushor Dan explained.

“During this year, we will have 1.8 billion lei more than we could spend in the budget at the moment. It would be a shame to block the grant money that we will pay out in October, instead of giving money for investment so that we can start the works. We can allocate money for repairs, this is how we have done it every year until now, this way of working has been confirmed by the Court of Accounts, the prefect, there is nothing wrong. Mr. Badiou, you asked for the support of a specialized apparatus and received it. On March 5, the urban planning department stayed with you all day, and the next day the officials stayed from 6 in the morning to find the money to cut, but you did not find it,” Nikushor Dan explained at the meeting of Gen. Council of March 11.

PNL councilors supported their accusations that Mayor Nikushor Dan is unwilling to cut funds from other budget items to ensure all the money needed for heating and public transport subsidies.

The budget of the capital’s mayor’s office was voted on at the meetings of the Central Chamber of Commerce and Industry on March 1 and 6.

About the budget proposed by Nikusor Dan

The City Hall of the capital, including its subordinates, estimates that in 2024 it will have a budget of 10.6 billion lei, the actual local budget – 7.8 billion lei, including European funds – 1 billion lei, according to the project presented to the public discussion. Subsidies for central heating and heating total about two billion lei. Personnel costs amount to 164 million lei, and compensation won in court – 270 million lei. Investment costs of the municipality alone, excluding subordinates, amount to 1.5 billion lei. In general, it remained the same, minus the amendments of about 650 million lei accepted with the budget.

What money Nikushor Dan wants to allocate for investments from the budget of the capital city hall

1.5 billion lei are distributed as follows:

• Modernization of the heating network – 524 million lei
• Modernization of public transport – 500 million lei (195 million lei for the purchase of 100 trolleybuses, 250 million lei for the purchase of trams from ASTRA, 51 million lei owed to Otokar)
• Completion of Glina treatment facilities and reconstruction of the main collectors – 129 million lei;
• Modernization of tram lines – 35 million lei;
• Continuation of works on the expansion of Ghencea – 30 million lei;
• 35 million Pasaj Doamna Ghica in debt;
• Construction of Chashen bridge – 5.7 million lei;
• Pedestrian Cheiul Dâmboviței Unirii-Izvor – 10 million lei;
• Bicycle lanes in the city center – 10 million lei;
• Expansion of road traffic organization – 5 million lei;
• 300 modular stations – 15 million lei;
• Consolidation of buildings bd. Queen Elizabeth 29-31 – 33 million lei;
• Comprehensive reconstruction of buildings A and B of Bucur Maternity – 45 million lei (42 million from PNRR)
• Flamaropol skating rink – 10 million lei;
• Review of MOPSA – 25 million lei;
• Bicycle paths – about 40 million lei.

What money do subordinates get?

• Hospital administration (ASSMB) – 833 million lei;
• Street administration – 250 million lei;
• Parks and Lakes Recreation Department – 144 million lei (money goes to the renovation of the park, 24 million lei to playgrounds, 1,300 benches – 2.6 million lei; 800 trash cans – about 1 million lei; irrigation systems Parks Carol, Herăstrău, Cişmigiu, Herăstrău, Source);
• Municipal sports club – 45 million lei;
• The main administration of social assistance – 700 million lei;
• Animal Supervision and Protection Office (an institution dealing with stray dogs) – 26 million lei;
• Administration of cemeteries – 68 million lei; Local police – 75 million lei;
• CREART – 27 million lei;
• ARCUB – 32 million lei;
• PRODUCT – 44 million lei;
• Globus Circus – 19.7 million lei;
• Department of Consolidation of Seismic Buildings – 117 million lei.