FinMin Teodorovici: Inflation will be close to what we have estimated for 2018

Inflation on Romania will be close to what we have estimated for 2018, Finance Minister Eugen Teodorovici said on Wednesday.

"We had an inflation estimate when the 2018 budget was built - 3.1 percent. It is an increase from what we have estimated, but throughout 2018 it will be what we have estimated or maybe with a small increase over our 2017 estimates for the current year, but average inflation will be somewhere close to what we have estimated for 2018. They are just some of the factors, (...) because there are also factors or which we are not responsible. The pay increase side - is a factor in rising inflation (...) We've taken up something and, made a decision on salary increases; normalcy resumes, things get settled, no more modifications (...) As a conclusion for the entire year, the average will be close to what we have estimated for 2018," Teodorovici told Parliament, in response to whether inflation is developing within the confines of the officials estimates. AGERPRES (RO - author: Catalina Matei, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Rodica State)