The Spanish government, "optimistic" about the budgets and the redesign of the extraordinary tax.

"We are working very hard to get an agreement as soon as we can (...). I am always optimistic about our ability to build bridges," Cuerpo told Reuters in an interview in Brussels.

By Jan Strupczewski and Jesús Aguado

BRUSSELS/MADRID, Mar 12 (Reuters) - The Spanish government is "optimistic" about the possibility of closing a budget deal with other political parties as soon as possible, while working on redesigning economic measures such as the current extraordinary tax on large energy companies, Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo said on Tuesday.

Socialist President Pedro Sanchez's coalition government, which has yet to pass key laws such as the Budget, is in a minority in Parliament, so it is dependent on shaky support from Catalan nationalists and other regional parties.

The minister added that the positive 0.6% growth rate achieved in the last quarter of 2023 and some positive labor data should allow the government to meet its 2% economic growth forecast for 2024, and he expects the central bank to revise upwards its outlook for 2024.

At the end of 2023, the controversial windfall tax on energy companies and banks, which captured €2.9 billion ($3.2 billion) in 2023, was extended by one year and amended to allow energy companies to partially offset the levy (consisting of 1.2% of revenue) if they invest in renewable energy projects.

"This is already part of the debate," Corps said, adding that the levy on banks and energy companies had been an initial response to the energy crisis.

The next phase focuses on deciding whether "they become not temporary, but permanent, how to recalibrate them or how to reformulate them" and will take place this year in parallel to budget negotiations.

Regarding the state's 17.3% stake in Caixabank, Cuerpo said he saw room to increase the value of the state's stake in the bank before continuing to sell stakes in the lender, and did not rule out extending the deadline beyond 2025.

During the interview, the economy minister said that so far Saudi telecommunications firm STC, which has acquired a 4.9% stake in Telefonica, had not sought permission to exercise voting rights over the remaining 5% it holds in financial instruments that give it economic exposure to the company.

"We have to take care of our strategic interests (...) we will analyze the operation if and when they arise," Cuerpo said, asked what conditions he might put on STC.

In December, the government said the state would buy a stake of up to 10% in the company to counter STC's move.

On the controversy surrounding the low deposit rates Spanish banks were offering savers, Cuerpo said the government had tasked the antitrust agency to look into whether there was an "element of (lack of) competition."

"We hope to have an answer in the next few months."

($1 = €0.9154)

(Reporting by Jan Strupczewski in Brussels and Jesús Aguado in Madrid; additional reporting by Charlie Devreux; edited by Aislinn Laing and Stephen Coates; edited in Spanish by Javi West Larrañaga)