Greece's primary budget surplus for 2018 was finalized at 4.3 percent of GDP, according to figures released on Monday by the country statistics authority, EL.STAT, easily exceeding the 3.5-percent target demanded by European creditors until 2022.
If the current government's commitment stands, then 2018's "over-performance" will be the last year in which the Greek state posts a figure above the target.
The goal for the ongoing year is for the same figure to hover at the 3.5-percent target, with an earlier payment of a heating oil subsidy envisioned, a lower pre-payment of taxes for businesses and an "emergency" slush fund for a possible extraordinary bonus to low-income beneficiaries.
