Bahrain Mirror: The Bahraini Finance Minister Ahmad bin Mohammad Al Khalifa revealed that there is an increase in the public budget deficit that reached 1 billion and 500 million Bahraini dinars, as the oil prices dropped to 45 USD per barrel.

"The budget was passed based on a price of 60 USD per barrel but there is a deficit of a billion and a half. We were hoping that the price of oil per barrel would reach 60 USD but it didn't," he said in a comment he made during a parliament session.

"It is important that our solutions for the deficit don't begin at the level of citizens. We should start with other issues, like what the Works and Municipalities Ministry suggested, which is imposing taxes on water and sewage disposal of the industrial and commerce sector, in addition to directing subsidies towards citizens and lifting subsidies from non-Bahrainis and companies.

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