The budget deficit rose to 4.57% of GDP after the first eight months of this year, from 4.02% of GDP at seven months, according to the data sent by the Ministry of Public Finance on Friday."Execution of the general consolidated budget in the first eight months of 2024 ended with a deficit of 80.87 billion RON, respectively 4.57% of GDP, compared to the deficit of 42.19 billion RON, respectively 2.63% of GDP related to the eight months of 2023," according to the quoted source.Total revenues amounted to 375.76 billion RON in the first eight months of 2024, registering an advance of 13.7% (y/y), supported by receipts from current revenues - mainly insurance contributions, VAT, payroll tax and income, profit tax and non-tax revenues.The sums reimbursed by the European Union on account of payments made and donations totaled 22.94 billion RON, down 18.3% (year/year).On the other hand, expenses of the general consolidated budget in the amount of 456.63 billion RON increased in nominal terms by 22.5% compared to the same period of the previous year. Expressed as a percentage of the Gross Domestic Product, expenditures for the first eight months of 2024 registered an increase of 2.6 percentage points compared to the same period of 2023, from 23.2% of GDP to 25.8% of GDP.Expenditures on projects financed from non-reimbursable external funds (including subsidies from the European Union related to agriculture) were 30.9 billion RON.In the budget rectification recently adopted by the Government, the deficit for the current year was revised upwards from 5% of GDP to 6.94% of GDP. The Fiscal Council estimates, however, that the cash deficit will approach 8% of GDP in 2024.