The interim president of the PSD (Social Democratic Party), Sorin Grindeanu, on Wednesday stated that Romania’s budget deficit target of 8.4% for 2025, agreed with the European Commission, allows for continued investments under the „Anghel Saligny” programme, adding that he hopes the coalition parties will reach an agreement on the budget rectification in the discussions that will take place on Thursday.
„There was only a brief presentation [on the rectification – editor’s note] last night by the minister of finance. In parentheses, let me say: I really want to congratulate Alexandru Nazare for managing to discuss the matter in Brussels, together with the prime minister, and for this accepted deficit of 8.4%. This is a good job (…) because it gives us the opportunity to more easily regulate certain imbalances that we have in the economy. With an 8.4% deficit, investments can continue, as the prime minister said earlier, the important ones, investments can continue under „Anghel Saligny”, as this are very important for us (…), for the local authorities,” Grindeanu told Antena 3 CNN private television broadcaster.
He explained that there are many localities in Romania that do not have water, sewerage, lighting, and most of the investments of this type under „Anghel Saligny” are made by Romanian companies and this will be reflected in the economy.
„I had discussions today with all PSD ministers (…) of course there are certain adjustments that I hope we will be able to overcome tomorrow, not serious ones, but we are still concerned about finding an additional amount and I have conveyed this to minister Nazare, not a very large one, for investments. It is not an extraordinary effort, and we also have solutions within the 8.4% margin, as the European Commission asked us”, added Sorin Grindeanu.
The PSD leader mentioned that he hopes that the parties in the coalition will reach an agreement on the rectification.
„I hope that tomorrow all the parties in the coalition will reach an agreement, because we are talking about rectification, an extremely important governmental act,” added Grindeanu.
He also said that Romania could not fall within a 7% deficit in 2025, and the 8.4% objective is „a realistic target” that our country can reach by the end of the year.
Romania is expected to have a budget deficit of 8.4% of GDP this year, according to what was agreed with the European Commission representatives, prime minister Ilie Bolojan said on Wednesday.
The adopted fiscal packages will have an effect of 0.6-0.7% of GDP this year, but will increase to over 2.5% of GDP next year, the prime minister told a press conference held at Victoria Palace. AGERPRES
