The preparation of the MTBF is a participatory process and requires appropriate decision-making tools and mechanisms, as well as effective cooperation between public authorities within the Government.
The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Strategic Planning
The Inter-Ministerial Committee for Strategic Planning is a functional body of overall responsibility, established to coordinate the strategic planning process conducted by the Government.
The Committee is headed by the Prime Minister and includes members of the Government and representatives of the State Chancellery. The Committee membership and regulation are approved by the Government.
The core function of the Committee in the MTBF process is to set policy priorities for the respective budget cycle and to monitor the work of the MTBF Coordination Group.
The MTBF Coordination Group
The MTBF Coordination Group is a non-statutory government advisory body, established for the purpose of MTBF preparation in a transparent and participatory manner, which ensures the coordination and consultation of the fiscal policy objectives and other MTBF components.
The MTBF Coordination Group is headed by the Minister of Finance and includes representatives of various public authorities as well as social partners. The membership and regulation on the organization and functioning of the MTBF Coordination Group are approved by the Government.
Within the MTBF process, the MTBF Coordination Group performs the following functions:
- Coordinates and monitors the MTBF preparation process;
- Prepares fiscal forecasts for the MTBF and formulates the fiscal policy, in compliance with the fiscal principles and rules;
- Determines spending priorities in the context of the MTBF, in accordance with the strategic planning documents at national and sectoral levels, and ensures reconciliation with the available resource envelope;
- Ensures co-operation and ongoing dialogue with the Inter-Ministerial Committee for Strategic Planning.
In order to accomplish its functions, the MTBF Coordination Group establishes working groups for the MTBF preparation, defines their tasks and monitors their activities.
Working groups
Working groups responsible for certain MTBF elements are established in order to facilitate collaboration and cooperation between different public authorities during the MTBF process, as well as to ensure that the MTBF analysis and forecasts are consulted with other stakeholders, including social partners. Their effective work contributes to better coordination of MTBF proposals and enhances the quality of the materials presented.
Working groups play an important role not only in the process of the MTBF preparation, but also in the policy planning process in the context of national strategic planning documents. It is important to include persons responsible for policy formulation and budget planning in the working groups to ensure that policies are aligned with the available resource envelope.
The following working groups are established for the MTBF preparation:
- The working group responsible for the revenue framework, tax and customs policies and resource framework;
- The working group responsible for spending policies and priorities;
- The working group responsible for remuneration and employment policies in the budgetary sector;
- The working group responsible for public capital investments;
- Sectoral working groups (health care, education, social protection, agriculture, etc.)