The 2025 primary surplus was officially announced today by Eurostat. More specifically, the Greek economy recorded a primary surplus of €12.131 billion last year, some €2.881 billion higher than the budget target. The primary balance closed at 4.9% of GDP, far exceeding the initial target of €9.25 billion, which corresponded to 3.7% of GDP.

As newmoney reported earlier, with the surplus as a “weapon”, the government announces a targeted package of support measures worth half a billion euros, as well as the country’s new economic roadmap for the whole of 2026.

Why the surplus “matters”

The basis for these benefits is last year’s primary result, which far exceeded the state budget’s original expectations. Although this positive difference theoretically creates a large margin for manoeuvre, the reality is different. European rules are strict and limit the final available amount that can be returned to society to half a billion euros.

The “game” will come down to whether Athens can prove to the European Commission that this extra revenue comes from permanent structural changes, such as the extensive digitisation of tax controls, so that it can get the green light to spend it without breaching European annual spending limits. In other words, it has to convince Brussels that the amount from the surplus will be permanent and sustainable in 2026 and the following years to fund benefits, without depending on the growth rate or a random circumstance, as if it had taken equivalent permanent austerity measures, but without having taken them