At the start of the meeting Mr Putin said that budget expenditures would increase and amount to 68 billion roubles in 2003, due to additional revenues. Twenty billion roubles will be allocated for the support of regions, 7 billion for recovery following natural disasters, and another 3 billions will be spent on leasing agricultural machinery. In addition, 7 billion roubles will be spent on settling debts to defence companies and 1.5 billion – on the computerisation of schools.
Deputy Prime Minister Viktor Khristenko reported to Mr Putin on the preparations for the upcoming Russia-EU conference on energy.