The state budget for 2012 is aimed at strengthening the national financial system. Currently we are closing the international loan programme, thus we expect that the budget for 2013 will be fully dedicated to growth and financial independence. These were the main points highlighted by Solvita Āboltiņa, Speaker of the Saeima, on Tuesday, 6 December, when she accepted the briefcase with the draft budget from the Minister for Finance.“In recent years, consolidation has become a buzzword; it is a strong and positively charged word which means strengthening in Latin,” said the Speaker.