Croatia's Jan-Aug C-Govt Budget Surplus at 4.5 Bln Kuna (625.6 Mln Euro) - Table

The Finance Ministry issued no comparative figures.

Details follow (in thousands of kuna):

EU candidate Croatia expects a consolidated budget deficit of 1.3% of gross domestic product (GDP) this year, equivalent to 3.989 billion kuna. The country projects a central government deficit of 0.9%, a deficit of 0.3% in extra-budgetary funds and a gap of 0.1% in the local governments' budget.

The country forecasts a consolidated deficit of 1.6% of GDP for next year.

The Adriatic country, which started accession talks in 2005, hopes to join the EU around 2011 and aims to switch to the euro three years after entering the union.

(1 euro = 7.1928 Croatian kuna)