The value of foreign investments in Romania may rise above 10 billion euro in 2006 – including the privatization of the Savings House (CEC) and the Erste Bank payment for its Romanian privatization target, the Romanian Commercial Bank (BCR). The total value of foreing investments exceeded 1.7 billion euro in the first quarter of the year alone.

But it is expected that the investment volume decrease in the years that follow Romania’s accession in the EU. As the budget deficit is covered partly with the investment flows in the country, the issue for Romanian authorities is to find a strategy to counter-balance the trend.

The head of the Romanian Agency for Foreign Investments (ARIS) Ana-Maria Cristina said in a press conference on Thursday that her institution and the Romanian government have been working to find a solution to boost facilities for major world electronics and home appliances producers, so that they open production units in Romania.

“Such products are among those that contribute significantly to the deepening of the budget deficit. We are currently holding talks with a series of international companies in the sector to establish all the necessary terms for the opening of factories in Romania”, according to Ana-Maria Cristina..

Romania came third among CEE countries in 2005 in terms of foreign investments. With a volume of 5 billion euro, it follows the Czech Republic (9 bln. euro) and Poland (6.1 bln. euro).