IMF Praises Romania for Gas Liberalization

The International Monetary Fund praised Romania for its liberalization program, suggesting that the process of decentralization in the gas market for industrial consumers would be finalized by the middle of 2014. 

“Regarding deregulation, Romania observed and respected its commitments. For electrical energy, the market was already liberalized for industrial consumers January 1st, right on schedule. The liberalization for natural gas will be completed by July 1st, 2014, earlier than we estimated,” head of the IMF mission in Romania Andrea Schaechter told a press conference at the end of the visit to Bucharest, as reported by Agerpres.  

In occasion of the €4 billion aid deal review, IMF confirmed that the Eastern European country has untill the end of 2017 to complete the deregulation of gas prices for household consumers.   

The international body said it estimates that the country grew by 2.8% in 2013, forecasting a 2.2% rise in 2014.

Romgaz recently proceeded with an Initial Public Offering, as part of Romania’s privatisation programme.