Romania’s government spending represented less than 35% of the GDP last year, according to European Union’s statistical office Eurostat.

By comparison, government spending accounted for almost half of the GDP in the EU (48.1%), ranging from 57% in Finland, France and Denmark, to less than 35% in Romania or Lithuania.

In all EU member states, social protection was the most important area of government spending. Its share varies from 28.6% of the total government expenditure in Cyprus to 44.4% in Luxembourg. Romania’s government spent about a third of its money (32.6%) on social protection.

More than a quarter of the public spending went on pensions (25.1%), one of the highest rates in Europe. Economic expenses had the second biggest share in Romania’s public spending, some 17.5%. Only Greece and Slovenia, which bailed out their banks had higher shares for economic expenses.

Romania ranks third in the EU for money spent on 'public order and safety' with a 6.3% share of the total government expenditure, after Slovakia (8%) and Bulgaria (7%). However, Romania is third to last for the education’s share in the total government expenditure, with 8.1%. Only Greece (7.6%) and Italy (8%) have lower rates.

editor@romania-insider.com