The federal budget for 2013-2015 will impose strict spending discipline on the government, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said Thursday.
An updated budget draft will be sent to the State Duma for approval over the next few days.
The updated document focuses on social issues like salaries of staff at universities, Medvedev told President Vladimir Putin at a meeting.
Funds have also been allocated for measures to protect the economy from possible negative effects of Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization, he added.
"I won't hide the fact that the budget for 2013 and the prospects for 2014 and 2015 are difficult," Medvedev said, according to the Kremlin website. "So we'll have to brace ourselves and count every kopek, but that's probably not a bad thing ... for strengthening budget discipline."
Putin, who criticized the previous draft budget for not supporting his election promises, reiterated that the new budget should take global economic risks into account and added that the updated version will allow the government to fulfill its social obligations.
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