Budget deficit forecasts increased

Official budget deficit forecasts were increased yesterday by the Ministry of Finance. The new projection envisages a deficit of Forint 1769 billion, instead of 1545 billion predicted before. Social security funds will face a deficit seven times more than the original forecast. State secretary Tamás Katona declined responsibility for this jump, as it will be mainly due to bad management of health expenditure, he claimed. But Mr. Katona did not answer a question in his press conference about which expenses will be overrun exactly. He only said greater than expected expenditure on drugs and preventive treatment will have a role to play in this. VGO