INSTANT VIEW 1-Czech budget slips into biggest gap in 6 months

    PRAGUE, Nov 1 (Reuters) - The Czech central state budget 
slipped into a 12.7 billion crown ($576 million) deficit for 
January-October, the worst result since April, following a small 
surplus a month earlier, the government said on Wednesday. 
 
KEY POINTS: 
(in CZK bln)       end-Oct 06   end-Sept 06     end-Oct 05 
 balance           -12.67          1.49          15.18 
 
 (For full table, click on......................[ID:nPRA001002]) 
 
- The swing to a deficit caused by a 16.9 billion crown advance 
payment to regions and municipalities to cover local school 
costs. 
- Revenues up 6.5 percent year-on-year for January-October, 
exceeding the rise accounted for in the budget plan by 3.9 
percentage points. 
- Expenditures up 10.6 percent, exceeding the targeted rise by 
6.2 percentage points. 
- The full-year budget sees a 74.4 billion crown deficit on 
expenditure of 963.8 billion crowns. 
 
 BACKGROUND: 
- The central state budget is the biggest part of the overall 
public finances. 
- The Finance Ministry has said the country will meet its euro 
Convergence Programme this year but not the next. The ministry 
has proposed a 2007 budget outline forecasting a gap of 4.0 
percent of gross domestic product (GDP), above the 3.3 percent 
cap set in the Convergence Programme. 
 
- For recent stories on the budget, click on [CZ-GVD-POL-RTRS] 
or [CZ-RTRS-DBT]. 
 
LINKS: 
- For an overview of the Czech central government budget, 
Reuters 3000 Xtra users can click on the ministry's website: 
    http://www.mfcr.cz 
 
- For LIVE Czech economic data releases, click on       <ECONCZ> 
- Instant Views on other Czech data                 [CZ/INSTANT] 
- Overview of Czech macroeconomic indicators            [CZ/ECI] 
 
- Key data releases in central Europe    [CEE-CONVERGENCE-WATCH] 
- For Czech money markets data click on                <CZKVIEW> 
- Czech money guide                                      <CZK/1> 
- Czech benchmark state bond prices                   <0#CZBMK=> 
- Czech forward money market rates                      <CZKFRA> 
 
 ((Writing by Marek Petrus; Editing by Alan Crosby; 
prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: 
marek.petrus.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420 224 190 477)) 
 ($1=22.05 Czech Crown) 
  Keywords: ECONOMY CZECH BUDGET