Romania’s economy grew 2.1 percent in the third quarter of 2026 compared with the second quarter, seasonally adjusted, according to the National Institute of Statistics (INS). Year on year, GDP rose 0.1 percent on a gross basis and 0.3 percent on a seasonally adjusted basis. Finance Minister Alexandru Nazare welcomed the figure as a positive signal, but said the recovery is fragile.
Public finances under pressure
Nazare said the 2027 budget should prioritise cutting waste, improving spending efficiency and financing investment with a real economic impact. He pointed to the PNRR, Romania’s recovery plan, as a priority. Public investment reached 2.33 percent of GDP in the third quarter, up from 1.67 percent a year earlier. The budget deficit narrowed to 3.81 percent of GDP in the first nine months of 2026, from 5.31 percent in the same period of 2025.
Interest payments on public debt exceeded 50 billion lei in the first nine months, an increase of about 11 billion lei. The current account deficit stood at around 5 percent of GDP.
Exports and prices
Goods exports rose 11.7 percent in August and 6.3 percent in September, according to Nazare. Inflation fell from 10.9 percent in May to 6.8 percent in October. Real wages, however, dropped 6.9 percent in May and 1.5 percent in September.
Nazare also flagged external risks, including geopolitical tensions, unstable energy prices and uncertainty in international trade.
Source: National Institute of Statistics (INS)
