Capital must flow not only from deposits into credits, but also from saving in private companies which create jobs and that is why it is important to have a developed capital and banling market, says Cristian Popa, a member of the Administration Board of the National Bank of Romania at the 12th edition of BVB Awards 2025, the annual ceremony awarding performances in the capital market in 2024. He referred to the increase of the number of stock market investors, mentioning that in 2015 there were 60,000-70,000 investors and 202,000 in 2024. At the same time, Popa reminded that the increase of GDP/ capita seven times and of the number of highway kilometers have grown ten times in the last 20 years. “There are figures that should be mentioned, especially in the context in which we operate now. Figures about the number of highway kilometers in Romania are undeniable: 113 km in 2003, 1074 in 2023, over 1,200 at present, an increase by ten times. GDP per capita was 2,400 euros 20 years ago, now it is 17,000 euros, that is an increase by 7 times. Direct foreign investments were 9.6 billion euros in 2003, 118 billion euros in 2023,”Popa said. He pointed out that Romania has known an important development, sometimes forgotten. “It is a fantastic development we tend to forget sometimes. We simply forget where we forget where we started from and where we are now. The average Romanian lives 80% of the life span of an average European. We must say that being and EU member helped Romania a lot, as well as the money coming from EU, 66 billion euros. These high contributions helped develop Romania by building roads, bridges , hospitals and helped us get where we are. I think it is important to remind those figures, because sometimes we lose the perspective being preoccupied by the present and foregetting to consider achievements,” Popa pointed out.
Romanians are worse off now compared to 6 months ago, and 2026 will also be difficult, but from 2027 and then on, there is hope, said president Nicusor Dan during an interview with Romania TV. The government targets a deficit of 8.4% of GDP this year, marginally below 8.65% of GDP in 2024. To tackle […]
Imran Vilcassim, Chief Commercial Officer, Digital Platforms at BPC, explores how Romania’s booming digital payments outpace merchant readiness and why mobile POS is emerging as the practical solution. Romania’s digital payments volumes are rising fast, but merchant infrastructure isn’t keeping up. Independent market models estimate total digital payments will reach nearly
The attributes needed to reach the top of the business hierarchy, how to motivate and support the teams one works with, and how to tackle the unavoidable challenges that arise along the way were among the topics discussed at the event Inspiring Women in Business, organized by La French Tech Bucharest. Making it to a […]
More than half of the elderly people in urban areas in Romania face loneliness, and almost 310,000 of them experience it at a high level, according to a study conducted by the Association Never Alone, Friends of the Elderly, in partnership with Kantar Romania. The study, carried out in August 2025 on a representative sample […]
Square 7, part of retail park investor M Core, officially inaugurated its new Bucharest office last week, marking an important milestone for the company. More than 150 guests joined the event, including partners, collaborators, and team members. M Core is a family of property investment and management companies comprising LCP, Sheet Anchor, Proudreed, and Sheet […]
Real estate developer Hagag Europe Development has expanded its Romanian operations into the energy sector with the acquisition of BTD Distribuție și Furnizare, a local company specializing in natural gas infrastructure, distribution, and supply. The company has opened a new local division - Hagag Energy - and announced plans to invest more than EUR 400 […]
