Finance Minister says state cash reserves have been restored after fiscal overhaul

Finance Minister Kármán András reported that the government's unified cash account (KESZ) has recovered to a level that provides more fiscal flexibility after a period of severe depletion. He compared the prior situation to a household exhausting its reserves, which would have forced the state to seek costly borrowing for any surprise expense. Recent spending reductions have narrowed the budget deficit, although August saw a sharp increase due to advance payments required by the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, with the related income slated to arrive in December.

The minister noted that the deficit figures are largely a legacy of the previous government and that, without the EU agreement and the new administration's austerity steps, the shortfall would have been higher. He also highlighted the mismatch between financing inflows and outflows, stressing the importance of maintaining liquidity. Opposition parties continue to criticize the government's handling of the deficit, while the ruling coalition attributes the challenges to inherited conditions.