September 4 (SeeNews) - Serbia's budget surplus fell to 48.5 billion dinars ($453.4 million/412.5 million euro) in the first seven months of 2019 from 49.1 billion dinars in the prior-year period, official figures showed on Wednesday.
Primary budget surplus rose to 126.7 billion dinars in January-July from 121.9 billion dinars in the like period of 2018, according to data published by the finance ministry.
Total budget revenues increased to 737.3 billion dinars from 677.4 billion dinars, while expenditure went up to 688.8 billion dinars from 628.3 billion dinars in the first seven months of 2018.
Tax revenues rose to 642.3 billion dinars in January-July 2019 from 579.2 billion dinars a year earlier, non-tax revenues decreased to 90.7 billion dinars from 95.2 billion dinars, and grants went up to 4.2 billion dinars from 3.0 billion dinars.
On the expenditure side, current expenditure rose to 604.3 billion dinars, from 553.2 billion dinars, while capital expenditure climbed to 75.1 billion dinars from 58.5 billion dinars in January-July 2018.
In July alone, Serbia reported a budget surplus of 27.1 billion dinars, based on revenues of 125.5 billion dinars and expenditure of 98.5 billion dinars. The primary surplus totalled 36.2 billion dinars.
Serbia's budget was in surplus of 32.2 billion dinars in 2018, compared to a surplus of 33.9 billion dinars in the previous year.
(1 euro = 117.571 dinars)