Ilie Bolojan announces a decrease of over 40% in the budget deficit in the first five months of 2026

Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan announced on Saturday that Romania's budget deficit has decreased by over 40% this year, but "correcting the deficit is like treating an illness," and "populism, clientelism, and waste can bring us back against the wall."

According to Ilie Bolojan, this reduction constitutes the first profound macroeconomic correction after a prolonged period in which state expenditures exceeded national production.

"The budget execution for the first 5 months shows that Romania's budget deficit has decreased by over 40% in 2026, to 36 billion lei, compared to 64 billion in the same period last year. The reduction of over 28 billion lei is the first serious correction after years in which state expenditures have grown far beyond what we produce. It could no longer be avoided," Ilie Bolojan stated on Facebook.

The Prime Minister compared the process of fiscal consolidation to the treatment of an illness, mentioning that the initial stages can bring difficulties, but are necessary for long-term financial stability. He emphasized that reducing the deficit will allow for the future redirection of massive amounts currently used for paying interest towards public services and development projects.

At the end of the post, the head of the executive thanked Romanian citizens for their support during this period and warned that waste, populism, and political clientelism represent dangers that can quickly nullify these progress.