He said that on August 8 the Finance Ministry would present a draft federal budget for the period between 2009 and 2011. In the second half of August, the draft budget will be considered by the Government and will be submitted to the State Duma by August 26.
"I am ready to meet with leaders of the parliamentary parties prior to that date. All parties will have an opportunity to present their proposals individually," said Mr Kudrin.
The main topics discussed at the meeting were: the consolidated budgets of the regions of the Russian Federation in 2009 and in the planning period of 2010 and 2011; the methodology of subsidy allocation to the regions; guidelines for alcohol products excise tax income distribution in the regional budgets; and the regions' balanced budgeting subsidy distribution. Representatives of the State Duma and the Federation Council listened to the report by Deputy Minister of Finance Anton Siluanov on these issues.
Deputy Finance Minister Alexander Misharin presented a report on the methodology of subsidy distribution to regions for construction and renovation of motor roads in 2009 and in the planning period of 2010 and 2011.
The meeting also discussed the rules for provision and distribution of federal subsidies to regions for the development of utilities infrastructure, stipulated in the Federal Targeted Housing Programme.