KIEV, Dec. 6 ??“ Parliament, led by the pro-government coalition, on Wednesday approved the 2007 budget bill leaving budget deficit at 2.5% of GDP, a level that President Viktor Yushchenko has earlier described as too high.

The bill, which was approved by 249 lawmakers in 450-seat Parliament, forecasts budget revenue at about 147.9 billion hryvnias next year and spending at about 161.8 billion hryvnias.