Anti-corruption and economic development

The American Chamber of Commerce in Romania launches its Competitiveness Report.

Valentin Țigău, 30.03.2016, 14:59

This week’s report of the American Chamber of
Commerce in Romania on the competitiveness of the Romanian economy acknowledges
the country’s positive developments in the global competitiveness rankings,
while pointing to the still huge gap separating Romania from the EU countries
in terms of the average GDP per capita. The indicators that have improved from
the 2011 report are the fight against corruption, Internet access and the
number of employees working in high- and medium-technology.

Attending the launch of the AmCham Romania
report, the Romanian deputy prime minister, Costin Borc told investors that
good businesses can be developed in Romania:

I believe Romania still has a perception
problem. I believe that doing business in Romania is a positive experience and
I can tell this from my own experience as a former manager of a multinational
company. You are here because you are doing good business, otherwise you
wouldn’t be here! I’m not saying it is easy to do business in Romania, but that
you can still lead your companies to achieve the desired results.

The deputy chief of the US diplomatic mission
to Bucharest, Dean Thomson, pointed out that, despite recent progress, Romania must continue reforms focused on
sustainable development and full adherence to the rule of law:

Romania’s regulatory climate still lacks some
cohesion and long term vision, Romania must meet this challenge by passing and
implementing regulation in a transparent, predictable and stable manner.
Romania remains in need of structural reforms that will reduce regulatory
barriers, encourage greater entrepreneurship, and open sectors to greater
international competition and investment.

In a message read at the launch of the AmCham
report, Romanian President Klaus Iohannis said the fight against corruption
must continue and it is only by solving this major issue that the real
potential of the Romanian economy can be fulfilled. Klaus Iohannis said that
Romania needed an improved business environment and that economic development
cannot be achieved unless there is market and economic freedom, private
property and entrepreneurship. These benefits, the Romanian president added,
were gained through great sacrifice more than 25 years ago following the
anti-communist revolution of December 1989. He expressed confidence that the US
could become one of the biggest foreign investors in Romania, saying economic
cooperation could further expand in the IT&C field.