Czech FinMin confirms budget fcast after Nov data

PRAGUE, Dec 1 (Reuters) - The Czech Finance Ministry sees this year's central state budget gap at over 100 billion crowns ($4.74 billion), a senior ministry official said on Friday after fresh January-November budget data.

The forecast by Deputy Minister Bohdan Hejduk confirmed an outlook made by Finance Minister Vlastimil Tlusty in October.

The budget was approved with a deficit of 74.4 billion crown.

Hejduk said at a meeting with bond dealers the higher gap was due to higher pension costs, a premature payment of a guarantee toward the central bank and lagging tax revenues.

The ministry said earlier on Friday the gap for January-November reached 30.92 billion crowns, compared with a 0.2 billion surplus a year ago.

((Reporting by Marek Petrus, writing by Jan Lopatka, editing by ; prague.newsroom@reuters.com; Reuters Messaging: jan.lopatka.reuters.com@reuters.net; +420-224 190 474)) ($1=21.10 Czech Crown)

Keywords: CZECH BUDGET/FORECAST