Iohannis: Romania cannot afford wrong steps in economic relaunch, competitiveness race

Romania cannot afford wrong steps in the economic relaunch and competitiveness race, President Klaus Iohannis declared on Tuesday at the opening of the "National Chart of Companies 2020" event, according to AGERPRES.

He said that "the sharp economic downturn in the second quarter of this year has been halted, with the industrial sector and trade entering a phase of recovery".

"The crisis has not passed and the current situation requires more attention and more caution. Protecting human resources is vital," the head of state said.

According to him, "the economy is gradually recovering and we have the prospect of consolidated growth in the coming years."

"The performances of the business milieu are essential for our economic development. We need strong companies in Romania that support smart investments and create well-paid jobs," Iohannis stressed, adding that the data show a "consistent increase in the Romanian private capital, as well as in the number of companies with turnovers of tens of millions of euros per year".

Iohannis pointed out that the voice of business people is particularly important.

"Romania cannot afford wrong steps in the economic relaunch and competitiveness race. (...) It is important to do our best to make new investments in our economy, both Romanian and foreign, especially in the sectors where we have remarkable competitive advantages," said the President.

Iohannis also spoke of "the opportunities offered by European funds" in this context.

"We need, as country, to capitalize on all the opportunities offered by European funds. During this period, we have worked together with the Government to have a well-founded relaunch and resilience plan, through which we can access the 30.4 billion euros obtained by Romania through this facility", said the head of state, who encouraged private operators to take into account "the opportunities created by accessing European funds".

Finally, Iohannis called, in the present context, for an "exemplary mobilization of all".

"We must all be aware of the responsibilities we have," the head of state said.