Romania’s current account deficit went down by 26.4% in the first five months of 2015 compared to the same period of last year, to EUR 312 million, according to the central bank’s data.

The trade deficit with goods went slightly up, to EUR 2.14 billion, but so did the surplus on the services side, which reached EUR 2.41 billion.

The primary income balance, which includes compensation of employees, investment income (direct investment, portfolio investment) and other primary income, widened its deficit by almost EUR 250 million, to EUR 1.63 billion. However, the secondary transfer balance, which reflects current private transfers and transfers of the general government, had a surplus of EUR 1.05 billion, some EUR 430 million higher than in the first five months of 2014.

Romania’s external debt went down to EUR 90.8 billion, at the end of May 2015, from EUR 94.3 billion at the end of last year, as the long-term external debt went down by 5.6%, to EUR 71.5 billion.

editor@romania-insider.com