Finance Minister: We shall address the IMF if we need to. Nothing is too expensive when it comes to the country's economic stability

Public Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea declared on Tuesday, during the parliamentarian debate on the state budget for 2009, that the Government does not fear an agreement with the International Monetary Fund, since no loan is too expensive when it comes to national economy stability. Even more, Pogea considers that such an agreement would make the Government more responsible in spending the public money.

Pogea criticized the former Government, and mainly the former Prime Minister, Calin Popescu Tariceanu, for his statements earlier in the day. Assuming responsibility for the budget draft, Pogea added that the budget deficit for 2009 is a direct result of the former Government’s spending and programs.

The main fault for the current deficit belongs to the former Government, which led the country – after four consecutive years of economic growth – into one of the largest economic imbalances Romania ever saw.

The decision on having or not having an agreement with the IMF will come within the next two weeks, after the budget is approved and the financing lines between local branched and mother-banks are renewed