August 8 (SeeNews) - Serbia's budget balance was in surplus of 49.1 billion dinars ($482.4 million/416.1 million euro) in the first seven months of 2018, finance minister Sinisa Mali said on Wednesday without giving comparative data.
"Our economy is growing steadily in all segments, which is a good sign and gives us security to make forecasts for the coming period," Mali said in a statement.
Serbia's economy expanded by 4.5% in the first half of the year, its highest growth rate in the past 10 years.
The country serviced loans, including interest, in the amount of 370 billion dinars in the January to July period, Mali noted.
He added that Serbia is due to discuss with the IMF the increase of pensions and salaries in September, as well as other measures which will make its economy more competitive.
"We expect an increase in salaries and pensions by the end of the year. We will reveal concrete figures in September, after the arrival of the IMF mission. Citizens should expect good news, because we have achieved a budget surplus through difficult measures," Mali said.
In July, Serbia's government said it expects to record a budget surplus equivalent to 0.6% of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2018, compared to a planned deficit of 0.7% of GDP for last year.
(1 euro=117.996 dinars)