Teodorovici: Deficit of 5.4 bn lei in first two months, within Q1 forecast

The deficit of 5.4 billion lei registered in the first two months of this year is within the forecast for the first quarter, and as a share of budget revenues, February is above the plan, Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici told Antena 3 on Tuesday.

He said that February is generally a "low" month in terms of tax collection, but this year "February is over the plan".

"This is a very good sign. This February 2018 is over the plan, not just the two months cumulated," Teodorovici said.

Fiscal Council President Ionut Dumitru said on Tuesday that Romania registered a deficit of 7.5 billion lei in February, unusual for the first months of the year when there was a surplus, and the increases in salaries, assistance social or goods and services are worrying.

"In February, we had a very high deficit, over 7 billion lei, about 7.5 billion lei, unusual for Romania in the first months of the year. We know that in previous years and historically, the first months of the year recorded rather a lower deficit or even a budget surplus. (...) I would say that what is worrying is that salary-related expenditures increase very fast, over what has been budgeted," said Ionut Dumitru.

AGERPRES.