Business 3 min read By Bethany Hadley
RA-APPS Expects Asset Sales to Plunge in 2026 as Salaries Rise
The budget of the State Protocol Patrimony Administration Autonomous Authority (RA-APPS) forecasts asset sales of only 8.2 million lei in 2026, compared with 65 million lei in 2025, and the Government has also approved salary increases for nearly one-third of employees.
Asset sales by the Autonomous Authority "State Protocol Patrimony Administration" (RA-APPS) are forecast at just 8.2 million lei for 2026, compared with a cumulative 65 million lei in 2025. The figures come from the Authority's revenue and expenditure budget, recently approved by the Niculescu Government, according to the document published by Profit.ro.
The same budget session also endorsed a salary increase for nearly one-third of RA-APPS employees. The decision comes at a time when revenue from asset sales is expected to fall drastically, which has drawn the attention of observers to the trend in personnel costs. The Authority's general director has a monthly income of 9,500 euros, a detail that attracted attention in the analysis of the budget.
The difference between the two budget years is significant: the projected drop in asset revenue represents a reduction of more than eightfold compared with the previous year. The analyzed source does not detail the exact reasons behind this estimate, nor does it indicate which assets are to be sold or whether certain transactions have already been negotiated.
The broader context of these figures is provided by demographic developments. According to the analysis by Monitorul Social, a project of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation based on official data, for the fourth consecutive year the number of people settling in Romania exceeds the number of those leaving. In the period 2022–2025, the country recorded almost 280,000 additional inhabitants due to immigration. The analysis also shows that a number of Romanians who had settled abroad are returning home, although the source material does not provide an exact figure for this category.
In parallel, the Ministry of Development, led by Alexandru Stoica, announced that almost 1.1 billion lei will be allocated to pay arrears owed to companies executing works under the Anghel Saligny programme. Over 680 million lei come from the reallocation of the ministry's budget, and the rest from the 10% reserve funds initially allocated to each ministry and unblocked following discussions with the Ministry of Finance. The minister specified that half of the debts will be paid quickly. The two subjects are not directly linked, but they illustrate how public budgets are being adjusted this year, between current expenditure, investments and outstanding obligations.
For RA-APPS, the estimated reduction in asset sales revenue and the decision to raise salaries highlight a tension between available resources and personnel costs. The approved budget will remain under scrutiny, particularly in relation to sales plans and to how the Authority will cover its expenses in 2026.
3
