Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban speaks during a joint news conference with Bulgaria's Prime Minister Boyko Borissov in Sofia, Bulgaria, February 19, 2018. REUTERS/Stoyan Nenov

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Hungary will not have an election budget this year as the government plans to keep the 2018 deficit at the 2.4 percent of GDP target set out in the law, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told an economic conference on Tuesday.

“We will respect the law ... there is some room of maneuver but only within these limits,” Orban said. Orban seeks a third consecutive term in parliamentary elections on April 8.

“There won’t be an election budget, the deficit will definitely remain below 3 percent ... and the most likely outcome is that we will keep (to the target),” he added.