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.
Romanian foreign minister Oana Ţoiu, together with her Colombian counterpart, Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio, marked the reopening of the Embassy of the Republic of Colombia in Bucharest on Wednesday, February 11, after 24 years of absence. The Colombian official's presence at the opening marked the first bilateral meeting at the level of foreign ministers since 1994. […]
A selection of Romanian films that capture complex connections and love in its many expressions. Metronom Alexandru Belc’s first fiction project follows the story of a group teenagers living in 1970s Romania who go from a house party to being accused of plotting against the state. Love, rebellion and repression mix in this “beautiful,...
The Ministry of Sound Classical show will arrive in Romania for the first time in 2026. The event will take place at Romexpo - Pavilion B in Bucharest on December 12. The Ministry of Sound Classical concept blends iconic dance tracks with the power of a live symphony orchestra. The Bucharest edition will feature a […]
Residential developer Alesonor announced the appointment of the technology group for construction services STRABAG Romania as the general contractor for the construction of Phase II of the Amber Forest suburb, located in Tunari, Ilfov County - close to Bucharest. The project includes building a residential area that will include 172 housing units, comprising a total […]
Stanford professor and psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke, one of the most influential international voices in the field of addiction and mental health, will speak in Bucharest about digital dependency, burnout, and the attention crisis in the business environment at Impact Bucharest 2026. Lembke, the author of the global bestseller Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the […]
Bucharest’s flexible office market expanded strongly in 2025, with new deliveries tripling year-on-year and total stock reaching 74,000 sqm across 48 locations. The segment now accounts for more than 2% of the city’s modern office inventory, according to data released by real estate services firm iO Partners. Total flex supply grew by 8.1% compared with […]
