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The fall of the Leu seen from the perspective of a Galben (Ducat - Gold Coin). Article taken from the Blog with Two Galbens, which is co-authored by IPN’s reporter Mariana Galben.
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I’m an ordinary person and want to say that situation on the currency market affects me

All kinds of experts expressed their opinions about the situation on the currency market, saying the authorities can do something or can do nothing and everything depends on the situation on the foreign markets. I, as an ordinary person, am directly affected by the fact that the leu has significantly depreciated against foreign currencies. I do not have loans and deposits, I didn’t buy a car in leasing or a house by mortgage, but I pay rent in euros. During a year, my rent rose by 700 lei, but the living conditions didn’t improve in the period.

The prices started to grow. Even the prices of pies increased from 8 to 9 lei. It does not seem so serious, but, when we analyze all the price rises, we understand that the situation is rather bad. I already feel that I pay more for consumption. I pay more even for the food of my pet. The cheapest sausages that I buy for it grew dearer from 41 lei to 44 lei per kilogram overnight. It seems to me that some of the producers increase the prices unjustifiably, profiting from the situation on the currency market.

I earlier heard projections that the euro will cost 25 lei only in summer. However, it is now February and the euro costs even 33 lei at some currency exchange facilities and I cannot purchase the 150 euro I pay for the rented apartment cheaper, even if the official exchange rate is much lower. Now I have to pay almost 5,000 lei rent. If the prices continue to go up and the charges of public utilities are increased, my salary won’t be enough for covering all the costs, not speaking about saving some money to be able to buy a house in the future.

Recently, an expert said that owing to the situation on the currency market, many people became poorer than half a year ago. Instead improving, the living conditions become worse and worse. It seemed that things started to improve and we were to attract more investors and projects, but the optimism came too fast.

A mate working for a media outlet told me that he went to the bank to withdraw €300 from his account, but the bank’s employee said they have no euros and thus cannot release the money. He got the money only when he said that he is a journalist and will write an article to inform that the bank does not have foreign currency. The head of the branch came and ordered paying the money to him. The employee took €300 out of a bag where there were many more such banknotes. Thus, the banks artificially create a shortage of foreign currency so that the demand increases. The banks profit from the fact that we do not yet have a government (and even if we had one, things won’t be much different probably) and set the exchange rate they want.

The people can do nothing and have to accept these rules. I asked to be allowed to pay the rent in lei and they refused. Now I have to pay how the owners told me if I do not want to move from one friend to another with all my possessions after me. I have now to buy a euro for over 30 lei.

Why don’t the competent authorities do something? I think someone from those who are in power want the foreign currency to appreciate against the leu. Why isn’t the leasing out of apartments regulated somehow? Those who lease out apartments earn money and pay no taxes (at a time when I paid tax on an honorarium of 500 lei), while those who rent apartments are not at all protected.

Therefore, an increasing number of people think about going to work abroad, where they will feel more protected and where the authorities think about the people.

Blog with Two Galbens