Romania's debt will reach 43 billion euros by the end of the year. Elsewhere in the news, Romanian President Traian Basescu summarised his foreign policies. Last but not least, roads and ports are closed and trains delayed or cancelled due to weather conditions.

Romania's debt will reach 43 billion euros by the end of the year, namely 17.5% up against 2009 Gandul counts. At the moment, Romania's public debt is still "under control" and "comfortable", but there are "question marks" regarding its evolution in the future, Romania's representative at the IMF Mihai Tanasescu declared.

He points out to the disastrous situation in Greece and Portugal. Like Romania, Greece spends more than it has got. The IMF mission chief to Romania Jeffrey Franks declared that, starting with the fifth instalment, all money will go to Romania's National Bank; it won't pay the salaries and pensions anymore.

Gandul estimates that Romania's public debt will be 7.3 billion euros more in 2010 than in 2009. The burden per employee to pay up salaries and pensions will come to be 9.100 euros, which is over 1.500 euros more than last year. Out of the sum, 351 euros represent the credits to be taken this year to cover the 1.6 billion euros gap in the pensions' budget.

Tanasescu points out to Greece, which is close to bankruptcy due to a huge budget deficit: nearly 13% of the GDP for 2009. Romania's budget deficit last year came to 7.3% and is estimated to 5.9% in 2010. To face the crisis, Romania's public debt was 29 bln euros in 2008 and will be 43 bln by the end of this year.

This would amount to 34% of the GDP. Though the IMF allows a maximum of 60%, even 34% is a lot for a country such as Romania, economists appreciate. The Romanian state borrows at high rates: 14% and 10% for the credits in lei and 9% for the credits in euro. The smallest rat