Lei depositors are penalized by low interest rates, which is a reason why BNR will have to increase interest rates further to prevent a migration to the euro, the so-called Euroization of the economy, Valentin Lazea, chief economist at the national Bank of Romania (BNR), said recently at a specialized conference. The BNR official said that the rate between loans and deposits is kept subunit both for the lei – 0.82 in April as well as for foreign currency – 0.51 in April. ‘In other words, there are fewer loans both in lei and in foreign currency than deposits in banks. What does it mean? It means that the banks have sufficient funds for lending, but they do not find enough possibilities to place them – and this is happening as almost 40% of the Romanian companies are non-bankable – a story which has been lasting for 30 years – nobody wants to deal with it. What is 40% of the non-bankable companies? It means lower capital than 200 lei or negative capital. Lending could exist, but first you need to exist the capitalization of the companies’ Lazea said.As regards lending, the first five months of 2022, despite the war in Ukraine, lending has increased in nominal terms, both the governmental one and the non-governmental. As regards the profitability of the banking system, the BNR head economist said that, after four months, namely between January – April, the cumulated profit is 2.9 million lei, being approximately similar to the previous year, when it was almost 8,2 billion lei, for the whole year.
NASTY, the new documentary that showcases the life and career of Romanian legend Ilie Năstase, the “bad boy” of tennis, will be released on the Max streaming platform in May. Co-produced for Max by HBO Documentaries Europe and Libra Films, the documentary will be released in 23 countries in the week of the launch of the […]
Symphony of Water/Simfonia Apei, the water, music, and light show at the Urban Fountains in Unirii Square, downtown Bucharest, starts a new season this week. The fifth edition is scheduled to kick off Friday, May 17. The roughly 45-minute shows will have different themes, celebrating local stars from sports, science or art,
Over 260 objectives in 32 counties and in Bucharest can be visited during this year’s Night of Museums, which will take place on Saturday, May 18. This year's edition is an anniversary one, as it marks 20 years since the Night of Museums was first held in Romania. Locations in cities like Brașov, Sibiu, Ploiești, […]
The private medical sector is also making waves in real estate, according to an analysis by iO Partners, which says that major chains of private clinics and hospitals in Bucharest currently occupy spaces totaling over 215,000 sqm. About 40% of this area, equivalent to 86,000 sqm, comprises spaces leased in modern office buildings, often strategically […]
Romanian emotions/emoții românești, a special temporary exhibition on wildlife in Romania, opens this week at the Antipa Museum in Bucharest. The opening of the show, which features 30 images captured by photographer Rareș Beșliu, is scheduled for Thursday, May 16. The images are part of the emotions/emoții photobook, where readers...
Romania, one of the main source countries for victims of human trafficking in Europe, launched this week a new national strategy to tackle the phenomenon over the 2024-2028 period. According to prime minister Marcel Ciolacu, who was present at the launch on May 13, roughly 500 Romanians fall victim to human trafficking each year. "Unfortunately, […]
