Ukraine's premier predicts budget deficit down to 2.5 percent

KIEV (Itar-Tass) - Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolai Azarov
predicted on Thursday the national budget deficit would fall from three to
2.5 percent of the GDP in 2011.
"Already in the first quarter a surplus was reported and there are no
grounds to doubt the annual budget deficit this year will be at the level
of 2.5 percent, not more," the government press service quoted Azarov as
telling U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of Treasury Christopher Smart.
The 2011 national budget was approved with a 3.08-percent deficit.
Azarov said the GDP grew 4 percent in 2010 which allowed to cut budget
deficit to 5.5 percent.
The prime minister said the annual national development forecast was
generally positive, although major challenges and problems exist because
of growing world oil and food prices.
"The government will take maximum effort to decrease the negative
impact on the national economy," Azarov said.