Romania and international rating agencies
International agencies have confirmed Romania’s sovereign rating and stable outlook, but there is still room for growth, the finance minister Marcel Boloş says.
Ştefan Stoica, 22.04.2024, 13:50
The Romanian finance minister Marcel Boloş, who took part in Washington in the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, had talks with officials for the S&P and Moody’s rating agencies, which monitor fiscal and budgetary parameters around the world.
The talks concerned Romania’s economic characteristics and the strategies to ensure macroeconomic stability.
The agencies have reconfirmed our sovereign rating and stable outlook, but this does not mean there is no room for growth, minister Boloş posted on Facebook after the meetings. He mentioned that foreign investors tend to prefer countries with high ratings, because they view them as more stable.
A good rating, Marcel Boloş insisted, facilitates access to funding in international capital markets for lower costs. Essentially, a country with a high rating is often regarded as a more viable and stable business partner, the finance minister also explained on his Facebook page.
Boloş reiterated that, in order to improve economic competitiveness and to create an environment that encourages sustainable investments, measures are taken into account, such as fiscal consolidation, increased investments in infrastructure and education, encouraging private investments and promoting efficient and transparent economic government.
On April 12, S&P reconfirmed Romania’s BBB-/A3 rating for long and short-term foreign currency governmental debt, as well as the stable outlook. According to the finance ministry, the decision to reconfirm the sovereign rating and the stable outlook relies on the moderate foreign governmental debt level and on the sound prospects for growth in the next two years. S&P also expects Romania’s commitments under the EU Recovery and Resilience Mechanism to continue to work as an anchor for Bucharest’s political reforms.
In early November 2023, Moody’s also confirmed the ‘Baa3’ long-term rating and stable outlook for Romania. According to the agency, this was based on Romania’s robust medium-term growth prospects, supported by sound inflows of EU funding and foreign direct investments.
The reconfirmed rating also reflects the debt burden and debt affordability indicators. These remain sounder than for other countries with similar ratings, although both are likely to gradually deteriorate in the coming years, due to the still high budget deficit and to growing interest costs.
These positive developments are offset by weak institutional quality and susceptibility to geopolitical and foreign risks, Moody’s warned.
Romania has an investment-grade rating from both international agencies. (AMP)
