Foreign direct investments in Romania reached EUR 666 million in the first half of this year, down from EUR 826 million recorded in the same period last year, according to the recent data provided by the Central Bank (BNR).

The current account balance of payments had a surplus of EUR 695 million, compared with a deficit of EUR 2.7 billion in the first half of 2012, mainly due to the decrease in trade and income deficits and because the services recorded surplus.

The medium and long term external debt was EUR 78.9 billion at the end of June 2013, 0.3 percent over the level recorded at end-2012. The short-term external debt reached some EUR 20 billion (20.2 percent of total external debt), down 1.6 percent compared end-2012, according to BNR.

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

(photo source: Sxc.hu)