PM Viorica Dancila tells Parliament that economic growth proves the Gov’t programme’s viability

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila has told Parliament on Tuesday, during the ‘Premier’s Hour’ that the economic growth in 2017 was a record breaking one.

The invitation was filed by the PNL parliamentary group to the Standing Bureau, in order to tell Romanians “where is the money resulted from the economic growth.”

The Premier started by answering the challenge: “I was requested to say where the money resulted from economic growth is. (…) Romania registered record growth in 2017 of 7%. The added value to the economy was of almost RON 94 billion. Overall, in 2017, the money for economic development and for consumption amounted to RON 105.8 billion. Out of the RON 105.8 billion, for consumption was spent the amount of RON 57.5 billion, by RON 20 billion more than in 2016, RON 19.5 billion was spent for investments, RON 10.6 billion for public administration. In 2017, 2% of the GDP was allotted for defence, RON 6.9 billion was spent for health and education. Out of the RON 94 billion additional to the GDP, the additional revenues were of RON 27.9 billion, meaning about 30%. (…) Due to the good results, in 2017 the budgetary expenditures were by RON 34 billion higher than in 2016. For the first time in years, expenditures on goods and services were cut by RON 300 billion,” the Premier said.

Dancila added that a second proof of responsibility is that the economic growth was reoriented towards improving the standard of living, without affecting the macro-economic indicators. “In 2017, the average gross wage grew by 14%. In December, the social security pension reached RON 1,132, that is by 18% more than a year before,” the Premier said.

Viorica Dancila mentioned that the average inflation was of only 1.34%.

“Some specialists said our decisions would lead to the budgetary deficit’s blow. In 2017 the PSD adversaries delivered an alarmist speech in order to deny our programme, which did no good to Romania. The economic growth has proved the viability of the PSD economic programme. The alarming scenarios never came true,” PM Dancila said.

The Premier added that the economic growth is now felt in Romanians’ pockets.

“Hate, discord, the export of political discourses abroad will bring nothing good.” Dancila said.

At the opening of the Parliament sitting, PNL Deputy Raluca Turcan mentioned that tens of thousands of Romanians leave Romania due to the lack of employment offers, while the social-democrats are employed by the state. “The so-called tax reform has not led to higher wages to the state employed, whereas the employees in the private sector have found their salaries cut,” Turcan said.

“Mrs. Prime Minister, we ask you to make a sincere and courageous announcement, say publicly that the prices will continue to grow. If lies have been told, bring here Labour Minister, Olguta Vasilescu, because she lied to the Romanians,” Turcan added.