Economy of Romania

The increase in inward FDI in Slovenia was mostly attributable to transactions (EUR 1,139.5m), and less to other changes (EUR 198.2m). The largest inflows in 2016 were in the form of equity transactions, which amounted to EUR 938.1m. The largest factors in the increase were foreign investment in financial and insurance activities and in manufacturing (EUR 643.1m).

Banca Transilvania, Romania's second-largest bank said on Friday it has reached an agreement with Greece's Eurobank to buy its Romanian subsidiary Bancpost and will sign the contract later in the day.

The deal, which will be subject to regulatory approval, will also give Banca Transilvania stakes in ERB Retail Services and ERB Leasing, part of the Romanaian group.

Greece's Eurobank said it is close to finalizing a deal to sell its Romanian subsidiaries to Banca Transilvania.

The potential sale is part of a restructuring plan agreed by Greece's third largest lender with European Union authorities, and includes Romanian units Bancpost, ERB Retail Servces IFN and ERB Leasing IFN.

Eurobank is in talks with Banca Transilvania to sell its subsidiaries in Romania as part of a restructuring plan agreed by Greece's third largest lender with European Union authorities.

The sale would close a decade-long chapter of ambitions by Eurobank and other Greek lenders to spread their wings abroad after the country's debt crisis forced them to retreat.

Romania on Thursday approved China Energy Company Limited's purchase of a majority stake in KMG International, by which it will obtain control of the Romanian energy company Rompetrol Rafinare.

Kazahstan-based KMG International owns 48.1 per cent of Rompetrol Rafinare, with the Romanian state owning another 44.7 per cent. Other share holders hold the rest.

In the period January - March 2017 Bulgarian exports to the EU increased by 12.2% compared to the same period of 2016 and amounted to BGN 7 915.2M according to the National Statistical Institute. Main trade partners of Bulgaria were Germany, Italy, Romania, Greece, France and Belgium which accounted for 67.9% of the exports to the EU Member States.

Romanian energy company Romgaz on Thursday inaugurated Romanian's biggest onshore natural gas deposit in three decades, with Prime Minister Sorin Grindeanu and ruling Social Democrat chief Liviu Dragnea attending, the government announced.

Energy group OMV has launched a case against Romania at the International Court of Arbitration, demanding the reimbursement of environmental clean-up expenses worth 34 million euros which the Austrian group says it is entitled to according to the contract with Bucharest.

Romania was officially included in the Watchlist of countries that show a substantial potential to be an emerging market, according to the FTSE Russell decision, published on Thursday, the Bucharest Stock Exchange (BVB) informs.

Foreigners buying up farmland remains a worry in Romania. Under a new law proposal, EU citizens and companies will only be able to buy agricultural land there if 90 per cent of their employees are Romanian, or if Romanian companies hold at least 30 per cent of the capital, and if the buyers maintain agriculture as main activity object.