The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) invested some EUR 510 million in Romania in 2013, more than EUR 90 million less than 2012.

However, the number of individual projects in Romania increased to 32, a record number for the EBRD on the local market.

“The figure for Romania was about EUR 510 million in 2013 and we expect a new solid year in 2014,” said Anthony Williams, head of media relations, quoted by local wallstreet.ro.

EBRD had 26 individual projects in Romania in 2012 and invested a total of EUR 612 million.

In November last year, James Hyslop, the EBRD’s country manager for Romania, said that investments in 2013 could also amount to EUR 600 million.

“We had a very strong year in Romania and we still have a few significant projects to close,” said Hyslop in an interview quoted by Bloomberg.

“I would certainly envisage that if we did EUR 600 million last year, we’re doing about the same amount this year (2013), and we should be doing EUR 400 to EUR 500 to EUR 600 million next year (2014),” he added.

According to EBRD’s preliminary estimations, the lender invested a total of EUR 8.5 billion in 2013 across all of the regions where it is active.

The number of individual projects that the bank financed in 2013 remained at near historic highs, at 392, similar to the record level of 393 reported in 2012.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com