Romania will get the third IMF loan instalment "most probably in February", with the mission returning to Bucharest in January, the IMF delegation chief to Bucharest Jeffrey Franks declared, after talks with Romanian Central Bank (BNR) representatives, according to NewsIn. The IMF delegation will meet today with Government representatives and president Traian Basescu.

"Technically speaking, it would be a very tight schedule to try and deliver the instalment in January, but we're working on the exact schedule. We anticipate that the mission will return in January and, after finalising discussions, we'll swiftly go to the board. We will most probably deliver the instalment in February, but we're acting as fast as we can", Jeffrey Franks declared.

Jeffrey Franks does not exclude delivering both the third and the forth instalment at the same time in Romania. But the schedule still needs more work.

The IMF delegation chief to Romania mentioned that from a fiscal perspective, Romania's aim is to have low budget deficits in the following years and the decision of spending cuts for this matter is in the Government's hands: "I want this to be clear, because there have been a number of reporting on the IMF being responsible for sacking 100,000 people, but it's not the case. The IMF did not impose specific measures. We agreed with the authorities for a certain state staff reduction, but it is up to the Government to manage the situation".