OREANDA-NEWS. May 14, 2014. The state collected 438 million euros in tax in April this year, 12 percent more than during the same month in 2013.

A 15 percent increase in VAT takings and a 7 percent increase in social tax drove the surge in revenue, the Finance Ministry said in a press release.

The first quarter has filled 30.9 percent of the budget, leading to the hope that the 2014 state budget will produce a surplus instead of the predicted deficit of 38 million.

This year's budget was the first state budget to pass the 8-billion-euro mark. Last year's budget was 5 percent smaller.