The decrease was due to narrower trade and income deficits, as well as to a EUR1.77 billion surplus in the services segment.
The income balance posted a deficit of EUR1.96 billion in the January-August period, versus a gap of EUR2.36 billion in the year-earlier period, while the trade deficit shrank by EUR2.63 billion year-on-year to EUR2.27 billion, the data showed.
The current transfer surplus narrowed to EUR2.3 billion, from EUR2.46 billion in the first eight months of 2012.
Foreign direct investments reached EUR1.12 billion in the January-August period, down 36% on the year.
Romania’s total external debt reached EUR97.26 billion at the end of August, down from EUR98.96 billion in December 2012. The medium and long-term debt stood at EUR77.57 billion, while the short-term debt was EUR19.68 billion.
Romania’s current account deficit narrowed to EUR5.04 billion in 2012, from a gap of EUR5.94 billion a year earlier, largely due to reduced income and trade deficits.