Current discussions about state interventions in market mechanisms, such as price caps in various fields, bring uncertainty to the market and make companies more reluctant about future investments, claim officials of the Romanian-German Chamber of Commerce (AHK Romania).
“We have always mentioned the attractive opportunities offered by the Romanian economy: the investment location advantage, EU membership, the availability of qualified personnel, more advantageous costs compared to Western Europe, the continuous increase in purchasing power and the development potential of the economy, which includes the creation of new value chains in the defense industry. However, there are currently major obstacles in formulating clear investment recommendations in sectors affected by the payments that the state must make. These payments are delayed, even when financial resources, including European funds, are available. For example, in the energy sector there have been significant arrears for a long time, which must be reimbursed to companies, as a result of previously introduced price caps,” state AHK officials. In addition, the administrative capacities for the rapid processing of funding applications remain limited in many cases, which affects areas such as agriculture, construction, energy, health and others. These challenges have been known for a long time, and we appreciate the current government’s efforts to improve the situation, but we believe that further progress is needed.
“From a business perspective, it is essential that the state supports – and not affects – the liquidity of the economy, especially in times of maximum economic uncertainty. A decrease in investments is already observed, which slows down economic growth and makes it difficult to correct budgetary imbalances. Budgetary problems can only be sustainably solved on the basis of a growing economy.
Maintaining liquidity in the private sector is fundamental for stimulating future investments and ensuring sustainable economic development.
Therefore, we call on all decision-makers to apply market interventions with maximum caution and to discuss them in advance with the private sector,” say AHK Romania officials.
