TEHRAN University professor Gholam-Hossein Elham recently stated that the president is responsible for the planning and budgeting system and has full authority to design the budget system of the country, and that these are the most important tools in managing the country.

He added, "The budgeting and planning system was a ministry in the past, that is to say, it had the authority of a ministry, and was as independent as a ministry.

"Considering the fact that the Constitution intended to increase the authorities of the president in this field, it has given the president the authority to design the budgeting system of the country," he added.

Dr. Elham called bureaucracy a vital issue, and said, "It may create some problems for people on the one hand, and facilitate relations between the people and the government on the other hand."

Also, the Managing Director of the daily **** Entekhab ****, Dr. Taha Hashemi, said, "The President is the head of the High Economic Council. The most important economic issues of the country should be ratified in the council. The ministers involved in economic affairs are members of the council."