President Iohannis: I'll push for 2020 budget to be close to 3pct deficit

President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday asserted that he will insist that the next year's state budget be as close as possible to a 3 pct deficit, adding that the current gov't has informed the European Commission on "the inherited issue" from the former Social Democratic Party (PSD) Cabinet.

"It is rather obvious from the data the Finance Ministry has that the situation is such that, whether we like it or not, we shall have a deficit of over 4 pct, because full chapters in the initial draft budget of that failed Gov't were not well prepared and it is inadmissible and unimaginable, for instance, not to pay the pensions and the salaries or the works having been carried out, and then it is clear that a budget rectification is to be completed in the sense of increasing spending to cover what it is mandatory to be covered. These things were communicated to the European Commission and, from my information, there was a very important opening and even an appreciation of the very open, pragmatic way the new gov't, the Orban Cabinet went there and explained about the problem inherited from the failed PSD gov't and what it needs to do to get into a certain normality," President Iohannis said at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, after the meeting he had with the future president of the European Council, Charles Michel.

He added that the Gov't intends to hammer out a draft budget for 2020 to "better" fit into the deficit margin.

"I, personally will push for the budget on 2020 be as close as possible to 3 pct [deficit, ed. n.] and this will certainly be possible. It is however clear that talks will further at the level of the European Commission to find the best ways to get out this deadlock the Orban Gov't has found when taking over governing and I start from the European partners's good faith and good intention to help us to overcome this stage," Iohannis added.

The future President of the European Council, Charles Michel, said that it is very important for various countries to have a solid, open dialogue with the European Commission.