In order to implement the measures of the Action Plan for the elaboration of the Medium-Term Budget Framework, the Ministry of Finance sets the preliminary spending limits for the years 2018-2020 as a guideline for the elaboration of the sectoral policies and updating of the sectoral spending strategies for the respective period.

Taking into consideration the limited resources for the increase of public expenditure, the Government highlights through the MTBF the need to focus on enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of existing expenditure programmes and redirecting resources to the highest priorities. Enhanced efficiency in the use of the existing resources is crucial for the sustainable improvement of public service delivery in the medium-term perspective.

Therefore, the 2018-2020 MTBF places greater emphasis on identification of efficiency savings within the existing resource envelope, so that public services could be efficiently delivered.