Hungary’s budget deficit, excluding local councils, was 2,261.3 billion forints (EUR 6.2bn) at the end of August, widened by spending related to the coronavirus, economic stimulus and pre-financing for European Union funded projects, the Finance Ministry confirmed in a detailed reading of data.
Spending on protective measures against the virus, such as acquisitions of personal protective equipment and ventilators, had come to more than 553 billion forints by the end of August, while payouts in connection with EU funded projects were just above 1,374 billion. Transfers from Brussels came to 772.4 billion. Based on a slow-down in the economy and planned measures to protect the economy, the shortfall could reach 7-9% of GDP, the ministry said. The central budget ran a 1,873.1 billion forint deficit. Separate state funds were 2.3 billion in the red, while social insurance funds had a shortfall of 385.9 billion.
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