The inflation rate was 1.2% in May, the highest since November 2014, and a significant growth from 0.7% in April, according to data released by the country’s statistics institute INS.
Food product prices went up 0.75% on the month in May, while the prices of non-food items and services were both up 0.3% compared with April.
Romanians paid 5.1% more for vegetables in May compared with a month earlier, while fruit prices increased 7%. In the non-food sector, fuel price rose 1.2% on the month, while the prices of telephony services and airfares were up 0.7%.
Compared with May 2014, food product prices were up 1.2%, while the prices of non-food items and services rose 0.7% and 2%, respectively.
Romania’s central bank sees the inflation rate slowing down to zero by the end of 2015, due to the cut of the value added tax rate for food products to 9% from 24% starting June 1.