By Abdurahman Al-Misbahi

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Saudi Arabia’s annual budget for 2019 is expected to project revenues, amounting to SR978 billion, an increase of 11 percent compared to the budget of 2018.

The budget will be the largest in the Kingdom’s history with a record amount of over SR1trillion. It is also projected that there would be a reduction of SR67 billion in budget deficit reaching SR128 billion compared to SR195 billion in the current year.

Economic experts pin great hope on positive indications of the budget in all areas. This optimism is based on the statement issued by the Ministry of Finance, preparatory to the budget, during the end of September.

The statement carried at least 10 figures and positive indexes for the budget of 2019, showing that it would be a record budget amounting to SR1.106 trillion.

It is also projected that there would be an increase of 7 percent in spending compared to the current year.

It is expected that the budgetary revenues would have an average annual growth of 6 percent.