Romania: Internal Economic Situation in Romania

A file containing documents relating to the economic situation in Romania. Subjects covered in the file include the worsening economic situation at the end of 1981; mounting foreign debts; a poor harvest; the introduction of rationing; a series of food price rises; the reduction of imports; reports of severe shortages of food and basic supplies, as well as power cuts; and the general attitude of "stoical acceptance" by the Romanian people. Other subjects discussed in the file include the "second economy" of theft, bribery, and corruption; price rises for fuel, postal services, and telecommunications; Romanian efforts to reschedule foreign debts; evidence of Romanian organisations extorting money from foreign companies; an improvement in the balance of trade at the expense of domestic consumption; unrealistic targets in the economic plan for 1983; and government propaganda suggesting that the problems were temporary, and that the situation was worse abroad.