The number of people running more than 30 days late with paying up their credit to banks exceeded 600,000 in June. The total sum Romanian citizens owe the banks has doubled against the end of last year, reaching 1.8 billion lei, according to data from the Credits Bureau published by Romania's Central Bank (BNR), according to Romanian press agency Mediafax.

In June 2008, there was 702.9 million lei worth of debt to be paid to the banks. The creditors owed 2.6 times more at the end of this year's first semester.

The number of persons who delayed paying their debts more than 30 days was 602.548 at the end of June, 3 percentages up against May and 34% up against December, 2008.

The sum of money owed by the population in Romania increased by 87% within the first six months of the year, going from 981 million lei in December 2008, up to 1.834 billion lei at the end of this year's sixth month.

30 banks supply the Credits Bureau with data. From January, other 12 non-banking financial institutions started to add to its database.