Romanian News brief: January 19th, 2020

Romania’s National Bank (BNR) decided to keep the monetary policy (refinancing) rate at 2.5%, in its board meeting on January 8, a decision aimed at achieving “sustainable economic growth”, among others. The new Government’s gradual approach to the fiscal consolidation is “decent but not enough,” BNR governor Mugur Isarescu (picture) stated in the
press conference after the board meeting.

He implied that the Government should abstain from hiking the pensions by 40% in September, as planned by the previous Government. “Let’s be serious. There is only one solution, and this is a political one. When the economy grows by 4%, one can’t raise something by 40%,” the central bank governor stressed.

Romanian News brief: January 5th, 2020

The National Liberal Party (PNL) reached a score of 45% in the latest electoral barometer carried out in December 2019 by IMAS at the request of
local radio station Europa FM, up from 39% in November and just under 30% in October.

The Liberals went up significantly in the polls after managing to remove the former Social Democrat Government led by Viorica Dancila in October 2019 and install their own Government, led by Ludovic Orban, despite fragile support in the Parliament. Compared to January 2019, the
party’s score doubled.