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If
confirmed by figures due to be published on Thursday, that would
mark an improvement from 2015 when the social security accounts,
which covers spending on healthcare and welfare benefits, showed
a deficit of 10.8 billion euros.
It would also be less than the deficit of 9.7 billion euros
originally budgeted by the government, although it would be
bigger than the 7.1 billion euros an independent commission that
reviews the social welfare accounts had forecast in September.
"Eight billion for the overall (social) deficit, that will be a
maximum," Eckert told a group of journalists. "The deficit
social security accounts will show a sharp improvement from the
initial welfare budget bill."
The social security deficit is a part of the overall public
sector deficit, which also includes the central state and local
government finances.
The government's 2016 budget forecast an overall public deficit
of 3.3 percent of economic output. A first estimate is due to be
published on March 24.
(Reporting by Myriam Rivet; writing by Leigh Thomas; editing by
Brian Love)
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