29/08/2008 (Agence Europe) - Just as France and Italy had done before it, Austria has said it will not be able to balance its budget by 2010, the date that has long been presented as the deadline for bringing the public finances of all the countries in the euro area back into balance. Having recorded a deficit of 0.6% in 2008 (compared with 1.4% in 2006 and 0.7% in 2007) and forecasting continued growth, Austria's stability programme projected a 0.4% budgetary surplus in 2010 (see EUROPE 9601). Like other members of the euro area, however, Austria is currently seeing a deterioration in its market situation, said Finance Minister Wilhelm Molterer on Wednesday 27 August, according to AFP. This down-turn will mean that the initial target of budgetary balance will be delayed. With the approach of a general election on 28 September, the leader of the Conservative Party (ÖVP) also attacked the “budgetarily dangerous” proposals of his social democratic opponents (SPÖ). (A.B./transl.rt)