Romania’s Econ Growth Might Slow Down In ‘09 – PM

Tariceanu also mentioned the road infrastructure, saying that motorway construction projects cannot be implemented at a pace equal to the growth of the economy.

"In a country where economy is growing at such a high pace, namely 9%, and in the second half of the year we will probably reach 10%, the infrastructure cannot keep up with economic development. I think that, for Romania, a possibility is, what the economy can bring is some 200 kilometers of motorway per year, in the following years," Tariceanu said.

Referring to the financial crisis in the U.S.A. Tariceanu said the effects might include low liquidities, more expensive loans and a slower economic growth in 2009, compared to this year.

He went on saying, however, that Romanian economy “as a whole” will not be dealt any major blows by this crisis and added his statements come as results of talks with the most important analysts and bankers in the country, including the central bank.

In the first half of the year the GDP grew by 8.8% compared to the similar period of the previous year, while in the second quarter if the year economic growth reached 9.3%.

Government estimations point to a GDP growth between 8.5% and 9.1% at the end of 2008.