July 8 (SeeNews) - Serbia's budget surplus fell to 8.3 billion dinars ($79.2 million/70.5 million euro) in the first five months of 2019 from 8.8 billion dinars in the prior-year period, official figures showed.
Primary budget surplus rose to 65 billion dinars in January-May from 64.8 billion dinars in the like period of 2018, according to data published by the finance ministry on Tuesday.
Total budget revenues increased to 498.4 billion dinars from 445.7 billion dinars, while expenditure went up to 490.1 billion dinars from 436.9 billion dinars in the first five months of 2018.
Tax revenues rose to 430.7 billion dinars in January-May 2019 from 388.8 billion dinars a year earlier, non-tax revenues increased to 65 billion dinars from 54.9 billion dinars, and grants went up to 2.7 billion dinars from 2.0 billion dinars.
On the expenditure side, current expenditure rose to 431.8 billion dinars, from 392.6 billion dinars, while capital expenditure climbed to 52.9 billion dinars from 35.9 billion dinars in January-May 2018.
In May alone, Serbia reported a budget surplus of 2.8 billion dinars, based on revenues of 95 billion dinars and expenditure of 92.2 billion dinars. The primary surplus totalled 5.3 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 = 118.628 dinars)