The process of drafting the 2021 budget planning seems to take more than expected, although it should be ready next week, because it is going to address much-delayed reforms or reverse past malign measures, Romania's prime minister Florin Citu announced on January 27, News.ro reported.

Furthermore, the budget planning will be the first multi-annual budget, Citu argued - although all the budget planning drafts in the past years used to include a four-year forecast in line with the European Union requirements.

Possibly, PM Citu's hint about a multi-annual budget means a forecast at a granular level that, once passed by the lawmakers along with the 2021 budget planning, would imply legal constraints for the years to come.

"No, there are no tensions [among the members of the ruling coalition]. We will deliver reforms. We will draft a sustainable budget for the period 2021-2024. All ministries are asking for more money, but this is not something new. It's what we saw last year. It's good that they [the ministries] have investment projects. Still, in the end, we have to prioritize resources," said PM Citu, after the local media reported about tensions between PNL and USR-PLUS leaders on the budget for 2021.

(Photo: Gov.ro)

andrei@romania-insider.com