Direct foreign investments saw a 13.9% drop in the first trimester of 2009, in contrast with the same period of 2008. They amount to 1.456 billion euros for the first three months of the current year, as opposed to 1.69 billion euros for the first 2008 term, according to Mediafax Romanian news agency.

Direct foreign investments amounted to 9.02 billion euros last year, a growth of 24.5% compared to 2007. This covered 53.5% of the account deficit, its total value being 16.87 billion euros.

The current account deficit for the first 2009 trimester was financed solely through direct investments made by non-Romanian residents: 1.456 billion euros, according to the data published yesterday by Romanian Central Bank (BNR).

Foreign long-term and medium-term debt recorded 51.115 million euros in the last day of March. The figure represents 71.4% of the total external debt, which has gone up 0.6% compared with its value from December 31, 2008.