With so many uncertainties around, it is clear that our hope lies in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), especially when we talk about the construction industry.

We say this because, according to an analysis recently published on the website of infoCONSTRUCT magazine, in 2023, the volume of investments in the real estate sector decreased, and the beginning of 2024 has not been better, to paraphrase a small quip.

If we mentioned this sector, real estate, it is worth highlighting that, although construction is advancing, it is true, not at a pace that satisfies, on the sales side things are a little different and worrying, if we think about the fear of those who want a home but do not dare to take out a loan.

Interest rates are still high, the First Home program seems not to be what it was, and the prospects are at best gray, if not black, thinking that inflation, which continues to rise (while in the rest of the European countries it is decreasing), leaves no room for the National Bank of Romania to lower the reference rate.

Under these conditions, young people, because they are primarily addressed by real estate offers, prefer to wait, either renting or living with their parents. And if we also bring up the VAT increases, despair sets in.

In the industrial construction sector, things are not much better. The lack of perspective, caused by financial turmoil but, above all, by the tax increase frenzy that will begin after this electoral year, because, let’s not fool ourselves, what happened now with taxes is a joke compared to what will be, leads large business owners to stop any thoughts of expansion, which has repercussions on this segment of construction.

So, infrastructure construction remains. In other words, the hopes of builders are still directed towards the European Union because if it were not for the money from there, everything would collapse.

However, if we talk about infrastructure works, whether they are roads or urban infrastructure works, let’s hope that those who are entitled will accelerate the works also in the railway area, where there is a lot of work, a lot of work indeed, but also a lot to be earned, because any work must be rewarded, right!?