The government’s highest advisory body, the council of state, has reacted critically to Tuesday’s budget plans, saying that the cabinet’s decision to spend another six months looking into areas where cuts can be made does not reflect the urgency of the situation.

The cabinet has not made it clear whether actual decisions on cutbacks will be taken in the spring of 2010, the council is quoted as saying by Nos tv. If this is not the case then the cabinet’s credibility will disappear, the council said.
The council says the budget plans announced on Tuesday also fail to give a clear message to civil servants who have to prepare spending cuts.