The country's budget deficit will likely keep constant at zł.16 billion for at least another month before falling to around zł.12 billion, Finance Minister Jacek Rostowski wrote in a Wednesday editorial for daily Dziennik. The Minister predicted that the budget deficit would then increase to more than zł.18 million towards the end of 2009.

“We expect that the deficit of around zł.16 billion will continue to July and later fall to even [zł.]12 billion in August and to grow again to [zł.]18.2 billion in December,” Rostowski wrote.
Analysts are skeptical, though, suggesting Rostowski's view is too optimistic because the economic slowdown will dent budget revenues to a greater degree than anticipated by the minister. In the first four months of the year, the budget gap stood at zł.15.3 billion – 84.3 percent of the full-year plan. (RG)

Source: Thomson Reuters