OREANDA-NEWS. Belarus' Finance Ministry posted a republican budget surplus of 2 trillion Belarusian rubles (Br) (U.S. USD 198.22 million at the NBB rate) in January-April 2014, or 1% of GDP, the Finance Ministry said in a release.

The republican budget indicates spending and revenues of the central administration, whereas the consolidated budget also includes local budgets.

The surplus was produced mostly by means of restraining second-priority expenditures, the ministry explained.

Republican budget revenues amounted to 36.5 trillion rubles (USD 3.62 billion) in January-April 2014, or 28.3% of the adjusted target for the whole year.

Republican budget expenditures reached 34.5 trillion rubles (USD 3.42 billion), 26.8% of the target for 2014.

Revenues from the value-added tax amounted to 22.6 trillion rubles (USD 2.24 billion, 34.1% of the year target), from income tax - Br6 trillion (USD 594.65 million, 30.8%), excises - Br5.8 trillion (USD 574.83 million, 25.5%), from foreign economic activities 5.5 trillion rubles (USD 545.1 million), 21.1% of the target.

Revenues of the Labour and Welfare Ministry's social security fund (SSF) in Jan-Apr are estimated at Br29.1 trillion (USD 2.884 billion, 30.7%).

Tax arrears totalled Br442.9 billion (USD 43.9 million), up month on month by Br254.4 billion (USD 25.2 million) as of May 1, 2014.

Revenues of the state administration budget (republican budget, local budgets and SSF) totalled Br94.8 trillion in January-April 2014 (USD 9.4 billion), 31.1% of the adjusted annual plan; expenditures - Br90.4 trillion (USD 8.96 billion, 29.8%).

The surplus of the state administration budget totalled Br4.4 trillion (USD 436.075 million) in Jan-Apr 2014, 0.4% of the GDP.