Council for Budget Responsibility (CBR) estimates the 2026 general government (GG) deficit at 4.3 % of GDP
- CBR has slightly decreased the estimated level of GG deficit in 2026. Compared with the April forecast, the expected deficit has decreased by EUR 46 million mainly due to reduced shortfall in estimated tax and social contribution revenues.
- According to the CBR, the 2026 deficit can reach the level of 4.3 % of GDP (EUR 6.1 bn.), under the assumption that the government does not take additional measures. Negative deviation from the approved budget amounts to 0.2 % of GDP (EUR 248 million), which means the medium-level risk of the public deficit level exceeding the government objective.
- Compared to the government’s estimate published in the Annual Progress Report 2026 for Slovakia, the level of the CBR deficit forecast is lower by 0.1 % of GDP (EUR 97 million) mainly due to better estimated financial performance of other GG entities.
- The most significant negative deviation in the CBR forecast compared to the budget is the shortfall in taxes and social and healthcare contributions amounting to 0.4 % of GDP (EUR 635 million), mainly due to lower-than-expected VAT and CIT. The shortfall compared to the budget is mainly caused by less favorable economic development than was originally assumed in the budget. Slower growth in household consumption will reduce VAT revenues and lower nominal wages are pushing down social contributions and labor taxes.