The prime minister was replying to the IMF report that estimated a budget deficit of just 2.1% in 2017 and that another €700 million in austerity measures would be needed to attain the government’s target.

Regarding the austerity measure, António Costa stressed that the work about the 2017 budget was made using “old figures”.

"Our own figures show, as we have always said, that we will meet out 2.5% target as agreed with the EU", he assured reporters.