BERLIN, Jan 16 (Reuters) - Germany has 6.3 billion euros ($6.9 billion) more than expected to help finance the 2024 budget, according to provisional budget accounts for 2023 published by the finance ministry on Tuesday.
Around 3.5 billion euros less was spent in 2023 than planned, while income was slightly higher than expected, the accounts showed.
"The funds will contribute to financing additional burdens in the 2024 federal budget," the ministry said, without giving details.
The money could be used for a special fund for floods in the Ahr Valley, which was created in 2021 and had 2.7 billion euros earmarked for 2024.
That means a suspension of the country's debt brake - which aims to limit government borrowing - will probably not be necessary this year.
The government said previously it was analyzing a potential suspension of the debt brake, which is allowed to cope with natural disasters or emergency situations, to support the special fund for the floods.
($1 = 0.9196 euros) (Reporting by Holger Hansen Writing by Maria Martinez Editing by Mark Potter)
