September 13 (SeeNews) - TIRANA (Albania), September 13 (SeeNews) – Albania's consolidated budget was in deficit of 31.06 billion leks ($296 billion/250 million euro) in the eight months through August, lower than the deficit of 53.1 billion leks recorded in the same period of last year, official preliminary figures showed on Monday.
Consolidated budget revenue increased by 19.5% year-on-year in the January-August period, reaching 324 billion leks, while expenditures rose by 9.6% to 355 billion leks, according to data published by the finance ministry.
Income tax revenue increased by an annual 14.9% in the eight months through August, to 162.7 billion leks, with customs revenue up 23.9% to 119.1 billion leks.
In the 2021 state budget, the Albanian government has forecast economic growth of 5.5% and budget deficit of 120.5 billion leks, equivalent to 6.9% of the projected GDP.
(1 euro= 119.158 leks)