(Ondřej Schneider) The minister of finance has finally outlined his general guidelines for the 2000 budget. However, only the deficit amounting to CZK 39,8 bil (about 2% of GDP) has been announced. Not knowing budget revenues (tax changes?) and budget outlays, we are unable to interpret the deficit. The notion of financing new highways and housing developments through the National Property Fund is gathering support within the government. These expenditures amount to at least CZK 50 bil (3% of GDP) and it remains to be seen how much and how fast can the NPF privatize. We find the whole notion of off-budget financing rather unstandard, as the state budget would become even more irrelevant. Why not to scrap it altogether, then?