ATHENS, April 21 (Reuters) - Greece reported a primary
budget surplus of 0.1% of economic output in 2022, thanks to
better-than-expected tax and tourism revenues.
It is the first primary budget surplus after two consecutive
years of deficits driven by higher spending during the COVID-19
pandemic and subsidies to curb the energy crisis.
Greece, which emerged from bailout programmes in August
2018, had targeted a primary budget deficit of 1.6% of GDP in
2022 and a small primary surplus this year, according to the
2023 budget's projections.
The statistics office's first reading of fiscal 2022 data
showed the general government's deficit last year reached 2.3%
of gross domestic product after a downwardly revised 7.1% gap in
2021.
The data also showed Greece's general government debt fell
to 171.3% of GDP last year from 194.6% in 2021.
The statistics office expects Greece's economy to expand by
about 2% of GDP this year.
($1 = 0.9126 euros)
(Reporting by Leftris Papadimas; Editing by Christina Fincher)
Reuters Messaging: lefteris.papadimas.reuters.com@reuters.net))
