Friday, May 8th

Update on the COVID-19 tally in Romania

Romania announced on Friday 312 new cases of infection and another ten deaths related to COVID-19, taking the total count to 14.811 cases and 898 deaths. More than 6,400 people recovered and were discharged and 232 pacients are currently in intensive care. Romania confirmed its first coronavirus case on February 26 in a man from the southern county of Gorj who had been in direct contact with an Italian citizen who traveled to Romania earlier that month. The number of cases rose gradually in areas such as Suceava county, where a total lockdown was declared at the end of March.

Romania had a 1.6% contribution to the European Union GDP in 2019

Romania’s contribution to the Gross Domestic Product of the European Union was 1.6% in 2019, the same percent as the Czech Republic, but higher than Portugalia’s contribution – 1.5%, or Greece’s 1.3%, according to data published by Eurostat on Friday. Romania’s GDP was around 223 billion euros. The European Union as a whole recorded a GDP of 13.900 billion euros. Around a quarter of this amount was generated by Germany, followed by France, Italy and Spain. Eurostat is forecasting a slump in the EU’s economy this year, as a result of the restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

An assessment of the economic situation caused by the pandemic, in Romania

The budget deficit will be higher this year than forecast at the beginning of the year and will have to be financed, said President Klaus Iohannis, after a meeting to assess the economic situation, held today at Cotroceni Palace.
Klaus Iohannis: What we all want is to have a strong funding for the deficit, so that no more austerity measures are needed. We need very coherent measures that would allow us to support this economy, which is currently in a crisis situation.

Mădălina Brotăcel, RADOR