Saudi newspapers highlighted in their editorials today a number of issues at local, regional and international arenas. Al-Youm, Al-Sharq, Okaz and Al-Riyadh newspapers said that the Kingdom's budget for 2017 estimated expenditures at SR 890 billion, revenues at SR 692 billion and deficit at 198 billion less than 33% of the budget for 2016 which reached SR 297 billion. The papers noted that the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud directed to apply the budget for 2017 very carefully and precisely whereas the next budget will be in line with the Kingdom's Vision 2030 as a basic plan to overcome the reliance on oil and focus on non-oil revenues. The papers indicated that the general budget for the next year 2017 focused on education sector as it allocated SR 200 billion for it which represents 22% of the budget's total expenditures amounting to SR 890 billion.
