However, growth is expected to accelerate to around 3% in 2013, der Vrijer told reporters as the IMF wrapped up its assessment mission regarding Romania’s progress under a EUR3.6 billion precautionary loan.
The Romanian government estimates the economy will expand by 1.2% in 2012, largely fueled by domestic demand and steady performance in industry.
“In the end, we agreed that the economic growth will be at around 1% in December,” de Vrijer said when asked to explain the different projections.
Romania’s gross domestic product increased at an annualized rate of 0.8% in real terms in the January-June period.
In April 2011, Romania and the IMF signed a EUR3.6 billion two-year loan agreement. The deal is supplemented by a EUR1.4 billion loan from the EU and another EUR1 billion credit line from the World Bank.