The forex reserves of the National Bank of Romania (BNR, the central bank) have decreased in July by 959 million euros, from 30.111 billion euros on June 30 to 29.152 billion euros, according to data released on Monday by the BNR.
Therefore, 763 million euros have entered in July the BNR reserve, from the modification of the minimum forex reserves of the credit institutions and from feeding the accounts of the Public Finances Ministry (MFP), of the European Commission, and other accounts. At the same time, some 1.722 billion euros have exited the BNR accounts, representing the alteration of the minimum forex reserves of the credit institutions, payments of installments and interests to the public debt denominated in foreign currency, and others.
The payments of installments and interests accounting for the public debt denominated in foreign currency include repayments of the principal of the loan from the International Monetary Fund, for which BNR has already paid approximately 243 million euros equivalent, as well as the repayment of euro-denominated bond issue of the Public Finances Ministry due on July 29 (925.7 million euros principal and interest).
The gold reserve stood at 103.7 tonnes. Given the change of the international prices, its value was 3.286 billion euros.
Romania’s international reserves (foreign currencies plus gold) were thus worth 32.438 billion euros on July 31, down from 33.622 billion euros on June 30.
The payments due on January – July 2015 in the account of the forex public debt, direct or guaranteed by the MFP, totaled 6.437 billion euros, and those due by end-year are worth around 1.126 billion euros, the BNR release concludes.
