Tunisia approves 2013 budget at USD17b 

(MENAFN) The Tunisian cabinet has approved 2013 budget of USD17.1 billion, 4.9 percent higher than the updated estimates of the supplementary budget for the year 2012, the African Manager reported, citing Interim Prime Minister Hamadi Jebali.

Jebali said the increase is aimed at boosting the country's capacity particularly in regional development.

He also said that the budget targets cutting regional disparities and fight against unemployment through the creation of new job positions and stimulus programs for the consolidation of employment and vocational training.

Expenditure in the new budget, excluding subsidy spending, was set at USD955.64 million, up 12.6 percent from USD848.54 million a year ago, Hamadi said.

He also added that the government has a plan to cut the budget deficit to 5.9 percent of GDP and limit public debt to only 46.8 percent of GDP.