Romania Doesn’t Blur Statistics, Contrary Reports ‘Malicious’ – Fin Min

„Romania doesn’t mystify its statistics. There are no errors and there isn’t any intent to mystify the data. Any attempt to say otherwise is a serious error,” Vladescu said in a news conference in reply to media reports that the authorities are trying to modify the economic figures to comply with the targets set under a EUR13 billion standby loan from the International Monetary Fund.

The country’s statistics institute revised its data on the 2009 economic decline to 7.1% from a 7.2% contraction previously. The country’s GDP reached 491.2 billion lei (EUR1=RON4.1049) last year, versus RON505.5 billion initially estimated.

The revised data point to a budget deficit of 7.4% of GDP in 2009, slightly higher than the 7.2% of GDP gap previously. However, Romania still met its budget deficit target of RON36.5 billion agreed with the IMF.

Following the statistics published Wednesday, several reports in Romanian media alleged the authorities have mystified the GDP data, similar to what Greece used to do to conceal its fiscal problems.

„It’s a serious matter to try and demolish the statistics system of a country, especially given the current (economic) period. The attempt to liken Romania to Greece is malicious at least,” Vladescu told reporters.

He said Romania’s economic data never came in conflict with the figures released by Eurostat, the statistics office of the European Union.

„Romania doesn’t mystify a thing,” Vladescu said. „We are in constant and direct touch with Eurostat and we are not nervous in any way.”