By Marcus
Bensasson & Christos Ziotis - Oct 7, 2013 1:50 PM GMT+0300
Greece will have a budget surplus before
interest costs in 2013, a year ahead of schedule, giving Prime Minister Antonis
Samaras leverage to prod euro-area creditors for more help in lowering its debt
burden.
The primary
surplus will rise to 2.8 billion euros ($3.8 billion) in 2014, or 1.6 percent
of gross domestic product, after a surplus of 340 million euros this year,
according to the 2014 draft budget, Alternate Finance Minister Christos
Staikouras told reporters in Athens.
The overall deficit will be 2.4 percent of GDP both this year and next,
according to the budget, which was submitted to parliament today.