Turkey posts $21.2B budget balance deficit in January-October
Turkish lira banknotes are seen in this illustration dated Jan. 6, 2020. (Reuters Photo)


The Turkish central government's budget balance posted a TL 145.5 billion ($21.2 billion) deficit in January-October, according to official data released Monday.

The Treasury and Finance Ministry data showed that the reading widened by 44% compared to the same period last year.

Rising 14% year-on-year, Turkey's budget revenues hit TL 822 billion in the first 10 months of this year. The country's budget expenditures amounted to TL 967.7 billion, a rise of 18% during the same period.

The budget balance excluding interest payments saw a deficit of TL 25.9 billion in the 10-month period.

Tax revenues totaled at TL 655.4 billion, while interest payments were TL 119.6 billion in the same period.

Monthly figures

In October, the central government recorded a TL 4.9 billion budget deficit, narrowing 67% from the same month last year.

Budget revenues were TL 92.8 billion last month, climbing 42% from October 2019.

Budget expenditures last month reached TL 97.7 billion, an annual rise of 22%.

Excluding interest payments, the central government budget balance saw a surplus of TL 6.7 billion last month.

The average U.S. dollar/Turkish lira exchange rate in October was 7.95, while $1 traded for about TL 6.86 on average in the first 10 months of this year.