Russia's 2024-2026 budget should cope with challenges from sanctions, meet social obligations - Duma speaker

MOSCOW. Oct 26 (Interfax) - It's a key task of Russia's 2024-2926 federal budget to cope with challenges, ensure national development and meet higher social obligations, State Duma speaker Vyacheslav Volodin said.

"The bill concept is adopted in the first reading and I believe you will agree with me it is very important to make sure that the bill meets the key tasks we set at the time of its adoption," Volodin said at a meeting of the United Russia faction on Thursday.

"The budget should achieve the objective of coping with all challenges, as well as ensuring national development and every aspect of fulfilling social obligations," he said.

"Some 17,500 sanctions have been imposed on us since 2012, this is a serious challenge and whenever we speak about the adoption of the budget, it should cover all that," Volodin said.

The number of social obligations has grown, and all of them will be covered by the budget, "including the higher minimal wage, pensions and benefits to families with many children and mothers," he said.

The Duma is discussing the draft federal budget for 2024 and 2025-2026 in the first reading on Thursday.