Paris (AFP)
The state should spend around 32 billion euros to support the economy in 2021, after a year 2020 which saw the deficit and the debt reach "historic" levels, indicates the Minister of Public Accounts Olivier Dussopt Friday in an interview to AFP.
The cost of extending the emergency measures to the current date, "we estimate that it will exceed 30 billion euros, around 32 billion euros, with 18 billion for the solidarity fund, 11 billion for the partial activity and around 3.5 to 4 billion euros for exemptions from social contributions, "said the minister.
"As we have said, we will continue to help the French and businesses as long as the activity is prevented," he added.
Last year the State spent 47 billion for this aid: more than 16 billion for the solidarity fund, around 27 billion for partial activity (part of which was assumed by Unédic) and 4 billion euros in 'contribution exemptions.
The health and economic crisis has already strained public finances last year.
The public deficit reached 9.2% of gross domestic product (GDP) and debt soared to 115.7%, INSEE said on Friday.
"The figures are both historic and encouraging," responded Olivier Dussopt.
"Historical, because the deficit for the year 2020 is the largest that France has known in the contemporary period, and encouraging because it is less important than what we had imagined," he added.
He also said he was "optimistic about the rebound capacity of the French economy", thanks to its good resistance at the end of 2020, despite the health restrictions, and thanks to the recovery plan of 100 billion euros decided by the government.
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