According to a report from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the organization has maintained its projections for the Romanian economy in 2024. It cautions that the primary vulnerability continues to be the fiscal position. According to the latest forecasts by the EBRD, Romania’s GDP is expected to grow by 3.2% this year, similar to the estimates from September 2023. The growth is projected to accelerate to 3.4% next year, as stated in the report released during the EBRD’s annual meeting. According to the EBRD, the growth rate of the Romanian economy slowed down significantly in 2023, to 2.1%, even if this was one of the best performances recorded at the regional level. However, the decrease in private consumption, in the context of high inflation, was counteracted by the increase in investments and government spending. After a weak 2023, industrial production began to recover, as automobile production increased by 7% at an annual rate in the first quarter. In addition, for the first time after 2016, exports made a positive contribution to economic growth, EBRD estimates. “The main vulnerability remains the fiscal position, given that the fiscal deficit has worsened to 5.9% of GDP in 2023 (in cash). Public spending is expected to increase further, in the context of the increase in salaries in the public system and pensions, supporting consumption but risking creating an even bigger deficit in 2024,” the EBRD warns. “Economic growth is expected to reach 3.2% in 2024 and 3.4% in 2025 as inflation moderates and financial conditions gradually ease. A painful fiscal consolidation from 2025 and possible market pressures are the main risks to economic growth in the medium term”, the report of the international financial institution also states. Overall, the EBRD is currently less optimistic about the economic outlook for the approximately 40 countries in which it operates. According to the most recent forecasts, the region where the EBRD operates should register an economic growth of 3% this year, above the 2.5% recorded in 2023. However, this year’s advance would be 0.2 % lower than the one estimated in September. “This year will be a better one. But of course, there is a lot of uncertainty. The sad news is that the countries in which we operate are now affected by the consequences of two wars: the one in Ukraine and the one in Gaza,” said the EBRD’s chief economist, Beata Javorcik.
The health sector, public administration, and the energy industry are the most targeted by cyber threats in Romania, according to the National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) in its 2024 activity report. The health sector faces significant threats due to the large volume of sensitive data and underfunded critical infrastructure. Public administration is often the target […]
The funeral service of Romanian former president Ion Iliescu was performed on Thursday, August 7, an official mourning day in Bucharest. Among those present were family, friends, former allies, and political opponents. Those absent, namely the former president Klaus Iohannis and current president Nicusor Dan, were also notable. Ion Iliescu, Romania’s first president after the […]
The multisensory photography exhibition World Unseen has opened to the public in Brașov, central Romania, as part of its national tour. Hosted at Olimpia – The Museum of Sport and Mountain Tourism, the exhibition is open until September 14 and aims to make photography accessible to people of all abilities, including those with visual impairments […]
Romanian foreign minister Oana Țoiu began an official visit to Ukraine on Thursday, August 7, marking the first bilateral trip by a Romanian foreign minister to Kyiv since the Russian invasion in 2022. The visit signals Romania's strong and ongoing solidarity with Ukraine, the ministry said. Minister Țoiu is scheduled to hold high-level talks with […]
M Core continues to expand its Romanian portfolio with a new retail development in Bucharest. This time, the project is targeting one of the city’s most dynamic residential areas — Prelungirea Ghencea. The project, developed on a plot of approximately 51,400 sqm, will be located on Prelungirea Ghencea Street, no. 344–348, and is currently in […]
The FeminEast Association has launched the first free digital platform dedicated exclusively to financial education for women and young girls in Romania and Eastern Europe. Designed to address persistent gaps in financial literacy, the platform offers accessible, practical content tailored to the needs of schoolgirls, students, mothers, and women seeking financial independence or career changes. […]
