REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, BOGOR -- Minister of Finance, Bambang Brodjonegoro, stated that budget deficit by the end of the year would be estimated to reach 2.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"We believe the deficit can still be controlled. We hope the deficit at the end of the year will be in 2.5 percent," he said, in Bogor, Saturday (7/11).

It was expressed by Bambang after seeing the latest condition of state expenditure and revenue, including latest potential of tax revenue shortfall. According to him, the estimation also included calculation of a tax revenue shortfall, that was not exceed Rp 160 trillion from the target of Rp 1,924 trillion.

Until early November, the tax revenue was Rp 766 trillion. In the past two months, the government still sought to boost tax revenue by collecting routine tax revenue that was targeted at least Rp 50 trillion.