PM Citu: Current political situation doesn't affect budget deficit trajectory

Prime Minister Florin Citu on Tuesday said that the current domestic political situation doesn't affect the trajectory of the budget deficit, adding that as long as the National Liberal Party (PNL) is at rule, the programme approved last year goes further, both in the investment area and in that of reforms.

He was asked in an online intervention in the event "The Capital Market Forum," organised by Financial Intelligence, how he saw the economic development and if he had any expectations about rating changes.

"This situation we are in now, I would not call it a political crisis, it does not affect the deficit or the trajectory of the budget deficit, in the end, that is it. From a fiscal point of view, I have said and I will tell everyone that as long as the PNL is at rule, the government programme approved last year goes on, everything I said there, and there are very clear things there - investment and reform, and we'll do both: reform and investment. Certainly, we also have a path to reduce the budget deficit and, even if we have these shocks that occur, you see, the fourth wave will certainly mean higher spending, we will be able to maintain the trajectory of the deficit, because I do not want to close the economy and we will not close it. Therfore we will have the resources to pay for and keep the path of reducing the budget deficit until 2024," Citu said.

The prime minister added that this is very important, both as a signal for international markets and for the competitiveness of the economy.

He pointed out the importance of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) for the reforms undertaken by the current government.

According to Citu, the PNRR will be approved this week, and next Monday it will be signed and the first tranche of money will come at the end of November, beginning of December. AGERPRES