Following a strong rebound in 2021, the global economy is entering a pronounced slowdown amid fresh threats from COVID-19 variants and a rise in inflation, debt, and income inequality that could endanger the recovery in emerging and developing economies, according to the World Bank’s latest Global Economic Prospects report. Romania’s economy has advanced by 6.3% in 2021 and will grow by 4.3% this year and 3.8% in 2023, according to the latest edition of the World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects. Last year’s advance was revised upward from 6% projected in June, with the forecast for 2022 and 2023 revised downward accordingly. Overall, WB’s scenario is only marginally less optimistic than Government’s assumptions. In Central Europe - a region including Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland and Croatia besides Romania - growth is forecast to moderate alongside the euro area, from 5.7% in 2021 to 4.7% in 2022 and 3.7% in 2023. Although activity is likely to be disrupted in the near term from the spread of the Omicron variant, the subregional economy will benefit from firming domestic demand over the forecast horizon. In particular, investment and government revenues are expected to be bolstered by funding from the European Union (EU) Recovery and Resilience Facility - the largest component of the Next Generation EU funds. If fully implemented as planned by end-2026, these reforms and investments could help lift productivity by narrowing the digital divide and accelerating technological adoption. Measures that improve administrative capacity and governance could help boost the absorption of these funds in Central Europe.
The fund Cultura Face Bine, a national funding mechanism for cultural projects backed by private-sector financing, will begin supporting local cultural organizations in 2026. The fund aims to support grassroots cultural initiatives with a proven impact in their communities and which need resources to continue, develop, or transform their activities. The funding mechanism has been […]
The European Commission (EC) announced on Thursday, December 11, that it is referring Romania to the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) for failing to meet obligations under Ambient Air Quality Directives. According to the Commission, Romania has not ensured that its national air quality monitoring network complies with legally required standards on […]
The Bucharest Court of Appeal (CAB) held an unprecedented press conference on Thursday, December 11, in response to allegations raised in a recent media investigation published by Recorder, with court president Liana Arsenie firmly rejecting the claims. However, at the start of the press event, a judge from within the institution publicly stated that the […]
Romania’s Superior Council of Magistracy (CSM) issued its first response to the Recorder documentary alleging systemic manipulation within the justice system, calling the investigation an amplification of a “campaign to destabilize judicial authority.” The council said on Thursday, December 11, that it will evaluate what measures need to be taken following the report. In a […]
MedLife, Romania’s largest private medical services network, announced on Wednesday, December 10, that it reached a market capitalization of EUR 1 billion on the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB). The milestone secures its position as “the most valuable healthcare company” in the country. The achievement came nine years after MedLife’s listing on BVB in December 2016, […]