Finance minister Plamen Oresharski stated for the National Radio yesterday that he expects tough negotiations with ongoing IMF mission in Sofia . The talks with the Fund will be centred on the budget balance target for next year, according to Oresharski, as the government will continue to insist on a fully balanced budget while the IMF is advocating a considerable budget surplus. The finance minister is also concerned that excessive spending in the election period and extraordinary transfers for flood relief will endanger the full-year budget expenditure criteria agreed with IMF for this year. The mission of the IMF started official meetings with local authorities yesterday. The two-week visit under the second regular performance review of the 2-year precautionary agreement is the first tough test for the new centre-left government, which looks divided between generous social commitments and expert advices for tight fiscal expenditures necessitated by the rapidly deteriorating CA deficit.