Head of International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission to Bulgaria Robert Hagemann said that budget 2007 could have been more transparent and could have stated goals more clearly.

A final IMF mission, reviewing the stand-by agreement between the fund and Bulgaria, ended on December 20. the agreement is to remain valid for three more months.

Bulgaria's draft budget 2007 had two main weaknesses, Hagemann said.

More clarity and transparency were needed when defining budget priorities, Hagemann told Darik Radio. Overall, the budgetary framework was adequate, said he.

One suggestion IMF had was a later decrease of corporate taxation instead of in 2007, said he.

Another recommendation involved smaller increase of wages in the public sector, which were hiked already once by 10 per cent in 2006.

The planned increase for 2007 was too high, taking into consideration predictions of lower inflation in the coming year, Hagemann said.