(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 03 DIC - The GKI Economic Research institute has raised to 4.5 per cent the GDP forecast for Hungary in 2018, up from the 4.2% previously foreseen, the Institute said in a note today. In the forecast, GKI said that the new forecasts is based on the fact that Hungary witnessed one of the fastest economic growths in the EU in the third quarter of this year (4.8%). The institute kept unchanged the forecast for 2019, foreseeing a slowing down of the Hungarian economy to 3.2% next year. "The reason for this is that the stimulating effects of EU transfers is decreasing, global economic growth is precarious, and there is still no prospect of improving competitiveness. Inflation is accelerating in 2018, and external and internal equilibria are deteriorating. In this regard, no change can be expected in 2019 either," the GKI said. The research institute forecasted that the unemployment - currently "the fourth lowest in the EU, after the Czech Republic, Germany and Poland" - will further decrease, from 4.4% in 2016 to 3.7% in September 2018 and reaching 3.6% in 2019. (ANSA).