Romania’s budget deficit nearly halves to 2.34% of GDP in January-July 2026

31 August 2026 Romania managed to halve its budget deficit to RON 48.08 billion in 2026, from RON 76.44 billion in the same period of 2025, according to a government press release published on Monday, August 31. As a share of GDP, the deficit fell from 3.99% to 2.34%. Revenues increased by 11.2%, to RON 412.31 billion, while expenditures advanced by only 2.9%, to RON 460.39 billion. Significantly, VAT collections increased by more than 25% in the first 7 months of 2026 compared with 2025, and investments increased by nearly 24% to RON 76.51 billion. “The 1.65% reduction in the deficit is proof of balanced management, in which fiscal responsibility is combined with direct support for the economy,” Romanian finance minister Alexandru Nazare said, also mentioning VAT refunds to companies of m