11.   As usual, the government made very few changes to the draft budget set out by the powerful Finance Ministry.

12.   Both the draft budget and the economic program were submitted to President Nursultan Nazarbayev for approval.

13.   But Finance Minister Sigbjoern Johnsen, in presenting the draft budget to parliament, warned against a new spending spree, with rising inflation and wages.

14.   But in the draft budget, oil accounts for less than one-third of expected revenues, while non-oil revenues account for almost half.

15.   But Labor Minister Javier Arenas said the Socialist was citing an error in the draft budget that had since been corrected.

16.   But Stroyev warned that unless tax revenues are divided more evenly, the upper house will veto the draft budget.

17.   Didik said the two components which remained uncertain in the draft budget were oil and gas revenues and revenue from foreign loans.

18.   He said the Cabinet was prepared to act quickly on approving the draft budget and send it to the Duma.

19.   In the past, parts of draft budgets were routinely leaked to the press.

20.   It has become clear in the past few weeks that Neeman was angry and frustrated that coalition maneuvering has blocked parliamentary deliberations of the draft budget.