Government Priorities
A package of significant economic measures has been announced by the Liberal Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan
Mihai Pelin, 05.02.2026, 14:00
After months when the Romanians heard only about pay cuts and higher taxes aimed at curbing the budget deficit, Romania’s Liberal Minister, Ilie Bolojan, came with a message, which indicates a change of direction. Romania will enter a stage of economic relaunch, after the tough measures aimed at balancing the budget are about to end, he told a news conference.
The first step will be made after the Finance Minister, Alexandru Nazare, has presented a comprehensive measure package of supporting companies requested by the ruling PSD for months, whose effects would be felt in many well-paid jobs.
According to Nazare, this year is one in which the paradigm of Romania’s development will change and the emphasis will shift from a consumption-based economy to one based on massive investment and added value. The package is supposed to be endorsed next week and the Justice Ministry has recommended that government assume responsibility for it. The coalition is expected to convene for a final decision.
As far as the population is concerned, one of the most concrete announcements is focusing on energy. The liberalization of the natural gas market, which was supposed to kick off in a month and a half, has been postponed until March 2027 so the cap remains in place until then.
Ilie Bolojan: “The gas price is to be administered for all household consumers and for all power plants for the quantity used for producing thermal energy. There will be no cap for other activities, but according to today’s data, most of the consumers in the economy are purchasing gas at prices under the cap.”
Regarding the state budget this year, the head of the government said he intends the Executive finalize it next week and submit for Parliament approval by the end of the month.
Ilie Bolojan: “The main budget challenges are related to staying within the deficit, the EU fund absorption and to get major investment and this year and they translate in kilometers of highway, completed hospitals, investment in localities in Romania.”
According to Ilie Bolojan, next week the Executive will endorse both the bill on the public administration reform, for which it will assume responsibility in Parliament as well as that on banning the accumulation of pension with the state salary.
Taxes for houses and vehicles – almost double as of January 1 January – might drop to the minimum level set by the government at the end of last year. The Prime Minister has explained that a legislative amendment is needed to allow the local authorities to reduce taxes and duties not only to raise them as the law provides now. The aforementioned amendment must be done quickly before the endorsement of the state budget, the head of the government went on to say. Bolojan talked with the leader of the UDMR from the ruling coalition, Kelemen Hunor, about tax cuts; the latter called for their cut by 50% after the protests staged by the people in the counties led by the ethnic Hungarians.
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