State budget deficit crosses 100 billion crown mark in April

The state budget deficit rose to 100.1 billion crowns at the end of April from 59.1 billion in March, the Czech Finance Ministry reported. The 2022 state budget, approved in March, envisages a deficit of 280 billion crowns, roughly 100 billion crowns lower than that proposed by the former government of Andrej Babiš.  Although the Fiala administration is determined to reduce the gap in public finances, economists say that in view of the repercussions of the war in Ukraine it will be impossible to keep the deficit within the projected 280 billion crowns. The government has sent military aid to Ukraine to the tune of 3 billion crowns, taken in over 320,000 refugees and has approved social benefits for low-income families to make up for the soaring inflation.