Economic expert Vitalie Rapcea said the depreciation of the leu affects those who receive the salaries and earn incomes in lei and those who took out loans in foreign currency and now have to pay higher interest from the same salaries in lei. Contacted by IPN, the expert noted that at macroeconomic level, it is presumed that the exporters gain benefits from such a situation, but these say that they do not have export markets.

Asked who gains as a result of the deprecation of the leu, Vitalie Rapcea said that theoretically, it is those who have savings in foreign currency and now change them for investments or other payments, but this probability is low.

“The given situation is not created artificially, but should be tempered in a way as it could lead to general panic, while the cost of an intervention in a situation of panic would be much higher. An intervention that necessitates minimal costs, but that will produce a maximal result should be identified,” said the expert.

The people’s deposits in foreign currency are not affected, but those in lei are because the interest rate that the depositors must receive will cover only the depreciation of the national currency in the best case.

Vitalie Rapcea stated that the leu now goes not through the happiest moments in its history. The people should not yet yield to the monetary manipulations as they will sustain losses. The exchanging of lei for other currencies will cost them more and, if they do not have an urgent transaction, they should wait for the national currency to stabilize.

According to the official exchange rate for January 20, a dollar costs 17.07 lei, while one euro – 19.79 lei.