Skopje, 4 January 2024 (MIA) - The highest realization of capital investments with regards to Budget plans was achieved in 2023, standing at a level of 97 percent, i.e. EUR 707 million, Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi said on Thursday.

Speaking at a joint press conference with Public Revenue Office director Sanja Lukarevska and Customs Administration director Stefan Bogoev, Minister Besimi said it mainly includes infrastructure projects, as well as other investments made by budget users. 

Total revenues in 2023 were at a level of 98.3 percent, and expenses stood at 98.1 percent.

"This is important in terms of the implementation of the 2023 Budget, and is a basis for the coming period," Besimi pointed out. 

He noted that fiscal consolidation continues, i.e. the downward trend in the budget deficit from 8 percent in 2020 to 4.67 percent in 2023. On the public debt, he said there is a reduction, i.e. it was 55 percent of GDP at the end of the third quarter of last year, which is a reduction of 3.8 percent compared to 2022.

"The important thing achieved is that the Budget is within the plan and the achievements are balanced at the level of income and expenditure. Also, financing is at a lower cost, while capital expenditure is higher than the deficit. These is what we announced at the beginning of the year and we now uphold with concrete numbers," said Besimi.

Photo: MIA