MOSCOW - According to preliminary data, the surplus of the Russian federal budget amounted to RUR476.4bn (about USD16.3bn), or 3.9 percent of the GDP, in January to September 2004. This data was presented by the main department of the federal treasury of the Finance Ministry. Revenues of the budget were RUR2.423 trillion (about USD82.92bn) and expenses reached RUR1.948 trillion (about USD66.66bn) in the reported period.

As reported earlier, the Finance Ministry forecasted the budget surplus would be RUR587.4bn (about USD20.1bn), or 3.6 percent of the GDP, in 2004. According to preliminary estimates of the ministry, the GDP amounted to RUR12.088 trillion (about USD413.69bn).