Centeno made the comments in parliament, under questioning from deputies on the second and final day of the debate for the first reading of the Socialist government’s draft state budget for 2020.

"Soon, we may find out that in 2019 Portuguese public debt will have already fallen in nominal terms,” the minister said, in response to a brief speech by Socialist deputy Filipe Neto Brandão. “We are expecting good news."

Neto Brandão, who is also chairman of parliament’s budget and finance committee, had highlighted "the importance of the budget surplus forecast" in the budget for this year.

"It must be recognised that this positive balance is not achieved at the expense of economic growth," the deputy said.