Good agricultural year will accelerate Romania's economic growth for 2008 up to 8%, according to the central bank

Romania's economy could advance more than 8 percent in 2008, following a very good agriculture year, according to the central bank's governor, Mugur Isarescu.

It rose 8.2 % in the first quarter of the year against the same period of the previous one, helped by significant advance in constructions and services.

Romania's economic growth could exceed 7 % even without the contribution of a good agriculture year, Isarescu deems. He added that an accelerated economic growth is favorable as long as it will not wipe out resources or else it could overheat economy and pave the way to external unbalances and higher inflation.

A good year in agriculture could contribute with 1-2 % to Romania's economic growth in 2008, Isarescu's advisor, Lucian Croitoru, said on June 24.