The Czech pension system posted a deficit again in the first half of this year, continuing a trend seen in previous years — but this time the result was notably better than usual. The deficit for the first six months came to CZK 3.3 billion, the lowest figure in seven years and the third-best result since 2013, the year from which monthly statistics are available.
For comparison, the pension system closed out last year as a whole with a deficit of CZK 9.2 billion. The last time it recorded a surplus for a full calendar year was back in 2018 and 2019 — before the coronavirus pandemic hit public finances hard, including the pension system.
Based on the trend seen in the first half of the year, the pension system could end 2024 in the black — with a surplus of roughly CZK 10 billion. That would mark the first annual surplus in several years and a striking turnaround from last year's deficit of almost CZK 9.2 billion.
Source: novinky.cz