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The January-October budget data reveal that the primary surplus overrun of 1.4 billion euros, to 6.4 billion, is due to the dramatic reductions in public investment and tax rebates.

Consumers planning to take advantage of this year's Black Friday discounts can now find out whether some of the special offers are genuine or not.

Outstanding income tax and value-added tax rebates of up to 10,000 euros will be immediately paid out to businesses and individuals without any need for inspections, according to a circular issued on Wednesday by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue in accordance with the legislation.

Technical experts representing Greece's creditors are set to arrive in Athens on Wednesday, signaling the start of the third bailout review, and it appears that the pressure on Athens to fork out its dues to taxpayers has paid off, as the state has found the necessary funds to cover tax rebates of 4.077 billion euros since the start of the year - already exceeding the year's target by 753 milli

Figures released by the Greek Finance Ministry on Monday showed a fiscal gap widening by around 2.4 billion euros after the government paid out record tax rebates. 

According to Greek budget execution figures for the period January to September, increased tax rebates exacerbated the shortfall even as the government continues to raise levies. 

By next month the calculation of the social security contributions of 1.4 million self-employed professionals, freelance workers and farmers will have started, based on their 2016 incomes, and by the end of the year the process of offsetting rebates against any contribution debts will be completed according to a law recently passed through Parliament.

Below-target revenues in the first eight months of the year have led to the creation of a 1.7-billion-euro hole in the budget, according to the State General Accounting Office, which for the first time this year has brought the primary surplus below the target of the midterm fiscal plan, albeit marginally: It amounted to 3.55 billion euros, against 3.573 billion provided for in the budget.

The data of the Independent Authority for Public Revenue suggest that the state's unofficial debt to the private sector is close to 2 billion euros.

The state's debts to its suppliers are growing by the month, creating huge problems in the market and for businesses. In February alone the state ran up 243 million euros in fresh arrears, meaning that it now owes a total of 5.05 billion to the market and taxpayers.

The state's debts to its suppliers were augmented by 1.6 billion euros during 2016, according to data issued by the Finance Ministry on Monday.