In January - February 2025, the balance-of-payments current account posted a deficit of EUR 4,809 million, compared with EUR 2,600 million, 85% higher, in the first two months of 2024, the National Bank of Romania (BNR) informs in a press release on Friday.The breakdown shows that the deficit on trade in goods widened by EUR 1,502 million, the surplus on services fell by EUR 187 million, the primary income deficit increased by EUR 93 million, while the secondary income surplus decreased by EUR 427 million.In January - February 2025, total external debt rose by EUR 3,394 million to EUR 208,287 million, of which: long-term external debt at end-February 2025 ran at EUR 158,505 million (76.1 percent of total external debt), up 2.3 percent against end-2024; short-term external debt at end-February 2025 amounted to EUR 49,782 million (23.9 percent of total external debt), down 0.2 percent from end-2024.Long-term external debt service ratio stood at 10.6 percent in January - February 2025 against 19.6 percent in 2024. At end-February 2025, goods and services import cover ran at 5.9 months, as compared to 5.7 months at end-2024.At end-February 2025, the ratio of the National Bank of Romania's foreign exchange reserves to short-term external debt by remaining maturity came in at 99.5 percent, as against 99.1 percent at end-2024.
A new CURS poll published on Sunday, June 29, shows that if local elections were held in Bucharest next Sunday, reformist party USR would obtain 27%, followed by the Social Democratic Party (PSD) with 22%, and far-right party Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) with 18%. The National Liberal Party (PNL) comes in fourth, […]
Last week, the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) in Bucharest indicted three individuals for an EUR 100 million fraud in a case involving both EU and national funds. Among those indicted is an Italian citizen, alleged to be the leader of the group, which operated between 2019 and 2024. The suspect was detained on February […]
The number of building permits for residential buildings increased by 0.6% in the first five months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, with 14,134 such permits issued, according to data published Monday by the National Institute of Statistics. Increases were recorded in the Western region (+166 permits), Center (+70), North-West (+68), South-East […]
Cluj-Napoca, a major city in Romania’s Transylvania region, is taking a step toward becoming a more animal-friendly city, as a new proposal allowing pets in public institutions has been opened for public debate. Mayor Emil Boc announced the initiative, stating, “A city that is friendly to animals is a better city for people.” The draft […]
The president of S.O.S. Romania, Diana Iovanovici Șoșoacă, announced on Monday, June 30, that three senators were expelled from the party, effectively disbanding the party’s group in the Senate. According to the Romanian Parliament’s regulations, a party must have more than seven members to establish a group in the Senate. With the expulsion of the […]
Chinese social media platform TikTok has reportedly opened a branch in Romania, following public criticism, along with governmental and EU-level scrutiny, after Romania’s last presidential elections. The local company is called Tik Tok Romania, has a share capital of RON 5,000, and provides other IT-related service activities. It will be managed by Laura Andreea Savu, […]
