FEDERATION COUNCIL APPROVES AMENDMENTS TO RUSSIA'S FEDERAL BUDGET








MOSCOW, MARCH 14, 2001. /RIA Novosti correspondent Marina Balynina/. The Federation Council, upper house of the Russian  parliament, has approved the law amending Russia's federal budget for 2001. One hundred and twenty-four senators voted "for" this decision, four voted "against" with three abstained.  


	The law allows to conduct this year the required payments on servicing Russia's foreign debt. Besides, the law maintains a  possibility of using extra budget revenues for priority  directions approved in the budget-2001 version adopted earlier. 


	The law stipulates an increase in expenditure to service the foreign debt this year by USD 2.43 billion.