Portugal’s public accounts are expected to end this year with a historic surplus, the largest in Portuguese democracy, equal to 0.8% of gross domestic product (GDP), and the 2024 state budget proposal (OE 2024), which will be presented. On Tuesday it foresees the maintenance of a positive public balance (0.2%), despite the economy becoming increasingly fragile, which indicates the final version of the Finance document, to which Dinheiro Vivo (DV) had access.
The Minister of Finance will announce that, after this year’s success, next year’s target will be slightly reduced, but that he will continue with “caution” (as requested by the Governor of the Bank of Portugal and the Government itself and the Ministry of Finance). have defended) and remains above zero: António Costa’s executive proposes in this new OE 2024 proposal to reach a surplus of 0.2% of GDP next year.
It will be the second largest positive balance in democratic history, even taking into account the support measures for the IRS, fuel taxes and targeted increases in certain social support measures.
This surplus of 0.2% is comparable to the predicted deficit of 0.2% in the Stability Program that Medina presented in April, six months ago.
The 0.8% surplus estimate at the end of this year is comparable to a 0.4% deficit target also advanced in April, but is already far from the 0.9% deficit that was in the 2023 state budget predicted.
(being updated)
Source: DN
