Faced this morning with data released by the INE, which gdp growth Portuguese by 2.2% in 2019, above the estimated by the Government itself, the Minister of State and Finance considered be "good news" for the country.

Mário Centeno also said that the evolution of "positive" of public accounts leaves scope of confidence over the implementation of 2019.The Minister of State and Finance reacted this morning in press conference, to data released today by the INE on the evolution of national economy, where it refers to the fourth quarter of 2019 the Product National Gross Domestic Domestic (GDP) grew by 2.2% year-on-year, when compared to with the same period in 2018, and 0.6% in chain, compared to the third quarter 2019. Good news about the performance of the economy, which led to Mário Centeno to leave open the possibility of being reflected in the Stability Program." When in April we present the Stability Program, we will reflect all the information we have about the Portuguese economy, and this is a positive, upward, update of growth, and will surely be reflected in these numbers," he said. For the Minister of Finance and President of the Eurogroup, this data is in line with the very positive results of exports which were recorded in the fourth quarter, "which is always good news", highlighting the importance of this sector above all "in a very difficult context of trade tensions worldwide." But in addition to the very encouraging balance of exports, Mário Centeno also warned of industrial production data. that also grew 3.9% at the end of last year, "when in the euro area as a whole falls 4.1%", arguing that the figures known today on the evolution of the economy "place a more positive tone in the trajectory of GDP", exactly the "projections that Banco de Portugal had disclosed", but "getting closer" to what the Government presented in the budget proposal state implementation for 2020.Budgetary implementationMário Centeno also stressed that the budgetary implementation in december "went quite well", advising, however, that one expects the confirmation from the INE, which "will release the figures at the end of next month of march." The ruler did not, however, fail to underline the "positive public accounts throughout 2019", referring to being something that "gives us confidence on the budgetary implementation of the year."