TOMSK, Apr 4 – RIA Tomsk, Karina Sapunova. The expert agency Standard & Poor's (S&P) improved the forecast of rating of the Tomsk region to "stable" and confirmed the credit rating of the region and the rating on the national scale, the press service of the Tomsk region's finance department reported on Monday.
"The international rating agency S&P Global Ratings improved the forecast of rating of the Tomsk region from "negative" to "stable" and confirmed the long-term credit rating of the Tomsk region on the international scale at the level of "ВВ-". It is also confirmed at the level of "ruAA-", – is said in the message.
It is specified that, according to experts, change of the forecast of rating is connected with improvement of financial performance of the budget and expectation of the fact that positive dynamics will remain in the next several years.
"We consistently, year after year, reduce deficiency of the regional budget. Last year the regional budget is executed with the deficiency, minimum for the last five years, – 0,2%. As a result we managed not only to stop growth of a debt load, but also to lower it to 56%. At the same time all social obligations to the population are fulfilled", – the deputy governor – the chief of the regional finance department Alexander Fedenev is quoted in the message.
According to him, the financial system of the Tomsk region, including municipalities, keeps stability for the last several years. "Improvement of the forecast of rating will allow the Tomsk region to attract new loans on more favorable conditions and cut expenses on debt servicing", – Fedenev added.
Earlier it was reported that the national debt of the Tomsk region is 56% of the volume of own income – about 25 billion rubles. Till 2020 the authorities of the region set the purpose to reduce budget deficit to 1%, and public debt – to 50%, that will allow to get additional support from the federal level.
After February adjustments the income of the budget of the Tomsk region for 2017 are 57,54 billion rubles, expenses – 61,05 billion, deficiency – 3,5 billion (7,4% of the volume of the income of the regional budget excluding gratuitous receipts).