Portugal has paid half of the 1.7 billion euro loan to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This repayment was made ahead of schedule, 6 months in advance, reflecting the strength of Portugal’s economic and financial conditions. This payment was also possible due to the good performance of the Portuguese economy in the second half of 2016, leading to an early payment forecast. Portugal, according to the Ministry of Finance, “is turning the page on the crisis” by hitting the “lowest global deficit since 1974 and the highest primary balance since 1992”.
