Prime Minister Luca Niculescu assured that the Government is interested in developing the partnership with the business environment and supporting the economy, during the launch event of the Barometer of Entrepreneurs who build in Romania. The Head of the Executive stated that economic development is the only alternative and emphasized the importance of dialogue with entrepreneurs, foreign investors and union representatives to identify the problems they face.
Prime Minister Luca Niculescu declared that the Government of Romania is interested in developing the partnership with the business environment and supporting the economy, emphasizing that the economic recovery and the intensification of investments are priorities of the Executive.
Luca Niculescu stated that he is interested in finding out what are the priorities of the business environment, the progress made by companies and the difficulties they face. He recalled that, since taking over the mandate, he organized meetings with the representatives of Romanian and foreign companies, as well as with those of the unions.
“It is important to see what people think, what concerns people have, those who work, because the future cannot be built without people, and enterprises cannot function without people. It is important to find out everyone’s vision on the construction of Romania,” said the prime minister.
The Head of the Executive also referred to some of the conclusions of the study presented during the event, showing that some of the data should be better. He drew attention to the decrease in the share of companies that intend to invest in development.
“The share of companies that intend to invest in development has dropped from more than half in 2024 to only one third at present. We would prefer it to be something better, and this is also my task and that of the Government I lead: to restore entrepreneurs’ confidence and appetite for growth,” said Niculescu.
The Prime Minister added that the economic recovery and the intensification of investments are at the top of the Government’s priorities, given that the evolution of the economy has been influenced by both internal factors and the international context.
“We have to create new, well-paid jobs”
Niculescu also spoke about the need to preserve jobs, but also about creating new ones, especially for young people. He showed that, according to the data presented in the barometer, most companies intend to keep their staff, but the number of companies anticipating layoffs is greater than that of companies planning to hire.
“Supporting investment and economic activity means, directly, protecting families and jobs. We must not only protect them, we must create other new, better-paid jobs, especially for young people,” said the prime minister.
He emphasized that Romania is facing an important problem regarding the integration of young people into the labor market.
“We are the country in the European Union with the highest share of young people up to 28 years old who do not have a job and this, I want to tell you very firmly, is one of the priorities of the Government that I lead. We have already started discussions with the Minister of Labour, the Minister of Finance and other ministers of the Romanian Government precisely to address this issue, which may not be discussed enough. But the problem is not whether we discuss or not; we have to do something”, said Luca Niculescu.
Romania attracted 4.5 billion euros from international markets
The Prime Minister also stated that fiscal predictability and political stability are essential conditions for economic development. He recalled that, after almost six months of political instability, Romania has a government with full powers, which will work to regain trust.
In this context, Niculescu announced that Romania attracted 4.5 billion euros from the international capital markets, in the first issue of Eurobonds since the installation of the new Government.
“Investors’ demand was double the amount of the loan, so the interest in Romania was very high. In short, it is an important signal of confidence in Romania and in our ability to respect our commitments”, declared the prime minister.
He thanked the representatives of the Ministry of Finance, the National Bank and colleagues in the Government who contributed to the operation. During the speech, Niculescu also made a remark addressed to the Minister of Finance, Nazare, who had entered the hall.
“I’m sorry, minister, if I gave this good news before you, but sometimes prime ministers are allowed to give good news,” he said.
“We need a new economic patriotism”
The Prime Minister also stated that he is happy to note that entrepreneurs associate the development of Romania with the European direction of the country. According to the barometer data presented by him, four out of five entrepreneurs declare themselves pro-European, even in a difficult economic context.
Niculescu recalled that, in almost two decades since Romania’s accession to the European Union, the country’s Gross Domestic Product tripled, more than 1,200 kilometers of highways were built, and the infrastructure continues to develop. He also mentioned that the OECD accession process is nearing its end.
“We have every reason to prepare for the next economic model that takes full advantage of opportunities for investment and capital inflows. I am eager to discuss this with you,” the prime minister said.
In conclusion, Luca Niculescu reaffirmed the Government’s support for the development of economic relations with the Republic of Moldova and spoke about the need for a partnership between Romanian entrepreneurs, foreign investors and the authorities.
“I am a supporter of the development of ties with the Republic of Moldova. I met exceptional Romanian investors last week, just as we also have companies from across the Prut present in Romania. It is a very solid path that I will encourage. I think we all need a new economic patriotism, built on European pragmatic bases and a genuine intelligent partnership for Romania’s prosperity, in which Romanian entrepreneurs and foreign investors join hands and build together. And with the support of the authorities, they are building Romania’s development,” the prime minister said.
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