Greece's Finance Ministry says the country's bloated budget deficit has been cut by 46 per cent in the first half of the year, exceeding government targets.
A ministry statement says preliminary data show overspending amounted to E9.6 billion ($A13.82 billion) on a fiscal basis in the January-June period, compared to E17.8 billion ($A25.63 billion) in the first half of 2009.
The debt-hobbled government is targeting a 39.5 per cent cut this year to bring the deficit from a hefty 13.6 per cent of annual output in 2009 to 8.1 per cent.
Monday's statement said that while spending cuts exceeded targets, the increase in revenues was below target.
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