BERLIN, Jan. 11 (Xinhua) -- Germany's budget surplus in 2018 is expected to reach 11.2 billion euros (12.8 billion U.S. dollars), thanks to higher than expected tax revenue and lower spending, preliminary figures showed on Friday.
The budget surplus was Germany's fifth in a row, as a result of healthy economy and low interest rates, German media dpa cited the figures from the Federal Finance Ministry.
The next budget is expected to be made official in the coming weeks.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz and economists said this might be the last year for a surplus.
"The good times when the state continues to take in more taxes than expected is coming to an end. We have to be prepared for that," said Johannes Kahrs, a budget expert.
A few days ago, Scholz also warned that the "fat years" in which the state keeps taking in more taxes than expected are coming to an end.
After taking over from former Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, Scholz has always expressed to maintain Schaeuble's "black zero" policy in which no new debt is added and overall debt is paid down.
However, the policy has often been criticized. Many have urged the federal government to make more investmentsin housing, infrastructure and digitalization.
