The central bank said the debt hit €231.9 billion in September. The out-going government’s programme said it intended to reduce public debt from the 130.2 percent seen at the end of last year to 125.2 percent at the end of this year, a more optimistic outlook than international creditors.
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) anticipates that Portugal will reach the end of this year with public debt of 127.8 percent of GDP, while the European Commission (EC) reckons it is more likely going to be 128.2 percent. TPN/Lusa