Business Forum • 16 December, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Romania faces an economic maturity test, with the key question being whether it can transform current vulnerabilities into reforms and progress.
After two decades of growth, GDP per capita at purchasing power parity reached 79% of the EU average last year, up from 35%, confirming economic progress and improved living standards.
Despite uneven development, the economy has shown resilience amid multiple global crises and continues to grow in 2025, even as fiscal-budgetary problems have intensified this year. "The premises for our country to become a robust, mature and diversified economy exist, but to implement them, we must resolve the fiscal-budgetary situation, continue attracting foreign direct investment and European funds, and identify a clear reform strategy for relaunching economic growth," wrote Daniel Anghel, Country Managing Partner PwC Romania, in an opinion piece.
Romania has become fertile ground for capital from Poland, Czech Republic, Greece and Hungary, which have billions of euros invested in energy, real estate, retail, FMCG and IT sectors. These five regional partners increased their direct investments in Romania by 64% between 2019 and 2024, reaching €10 billion from the total foreign direct investment stock of €125 billion.
Greek investments in Romania grew 170% in the last five years, driven by PPC Group acquisitions in energy. Hungarian investments advanced 94%, Bulgarian by 90% and Polish by 84%. For Greek and Bulgarian investors, Romania became the second-largest overseas investment destination, while for Polish and Hungarian investors it reached the top 5.
In contrast, Romanian investments in the region remain very low. The stock of investments made by Romanian companies in the five analysed countries was €645 million at the end of last year. Total Romanian investments abroad were €7.8 billion, but more than half represented investments made domestically by Romanians through companies registered in other jurisdictions. Effective total investments abroad were €3.7 billion, compared to Poland's €38.6 billion, Hungary's €44.4 billion and Czech Republic's over €70 billion.
The expansion of Romanian companies abroad could generate foreign revenue flows, reduce the current account deficit, strengthen economic resilience and increase Romania's regional influence. However, achieving these objectives requires public policies, especially fiscal ones, that create balance and stability for an attractive investment climate.