Romania lags behind EU candidate countries

Romania remains a laggard in the statistics drawn up for EU candidate countries, which took into account the main economic indicators.

According to a survey conducted by the Luxembourg-based Statistics Office of the European Community – Eurostat, economic growth resumed in all thirteen candidate countries last year, while 1999 was the year of stagnation or decline.

The report specifies that GDP growth stood at about 5% on the average in 14 countries last year, as compared to the 3.3% average registered by the 15 EU countries. Romania registered the lowest economic growth, of 1.6%, although the authorities had estimated it to stand at 2%.

Turkey stood at the opposite pole, with 7.2% GDP growth. Romanian authorities expect 4-5% economic growth this year, while international institutions estimate it to stand between 1.6%, according to EU forecasts, and 2.6%, according to previsions made by the Economist Intelligence Unit.

Turkey was followed by Latvia, with 6.6% economic growth, Estonia, with 6.4% and Bulgaria, with 5.8%. Slovakia, with 2.2% economic growth and the Czech Republic, with 3.1%, were the other laggard countries.

Poland’s last year evolution was similar to the one registered over the previous year, with 4% economic growth, against 4.1%. Five of the 13 countries posted negative GDP growth in 1999.