January 15, 2014

Greece posts budget surplus in 2013 at central government level

ATHENS: Greece's central government posted a primary budget surplus of 700 million euros last year and will also post a surplus at the more closely-watched general government level, making it eligible for further debt relief, its deputy finance minister said on Tuesday.

Greece has been promised it can seek more debt relief from its euro zone partners and the International Monetary Fund that have bailed out the country, after it posts a primary surplus for a full year.

The lenders track the general government surplus - which includes local government budgets and pension funds - rather than the central government data released on Tuesday, but that data indicates Greece is on track to meet the wider target.

Greece is aiming at a 2013 primary budget surplus of about 812 million euros or 0.4 per cent of gross domestic product at the general government level.

Last year's central government surplus excludes bond profit returns of 1.5 billion euros from the European Central Bank to Athens, under the terms of its international bailout.

indiatimes.com

No comments:

Post a Comment