Slovakia's state-budget deficit in 2021 reached 5.46 percent of GDP

Although in 2021 the public debt was lower than expected, it increased compared to 2020. According to data from the Statistics Office released on Thursday, Slovakia recorded a state-budget deficit of almost €5.4 billion in 2021, which was 5.46 percent of gross domestic product. The general government debt in 2021 stood at €61.3 billion, or 62.19 percent of GDP. According to the analysts, however, both indicators improved when compared to the spring estimate for last year. According to the economist Vladimír Baláž, it may be harder for such a small country like Slovakia to borrow money in the future. The most significant positive impact on the change in the deficit was an increase in the amount collected in corporate taxes - €650 million. Conversely, a change in the reporting of transactions related to PPP projects had a negative impact. (TASR)