Financial daily Ziarul Financiar invited PM Emil Boc, Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea, Minister Vasile Blaga, Romania's Central Bank chief economist Valentin Lazea and business representatives to talk about Romania's economy in 2009 and the government's measures to counter the crisis.
Here are some of the most important declarations:
PM Emil Boc
The IMF and EC loan is preventive and we do not need to increase any taxes80% of debts to the private sector will be paid. I will make sure they will be paidwe need to relaunch credits2/3 of the IMF sum will go to the Central Bank, 1/3 to the Finance minister of which some will support banks to relaunch credits EBRD will sustain Romania's banksthe government will support the business community: we cannot have a market economy without an effective environmentwe will decrease bureaucracy and counter corruptionthe Interior minister is the best example of a successful reshuffling of the ministry
Finance Minister Gheorghe Pogea
We should not be surprised if Romania's economic growth will be negativewe plan to unlock the banking systemRomania must sustain investments and attract as many funds as possiblethe IMF loan is a good thing, there has been too much speculation on the issue. I will due the best I can to decrease the administrative burden
Central Bank Chief Economist Valentin Lazea
we need to change the economic growth paradigm growth resources must be searched for in the internal economyIt is very hard to shift to a growth based on savings from the internal economy but we need to be patient IMF loan must have three goals: to increase the international reserve, to ease the foreign distrust in the Romanian market and support structural reformsIf Romania will continue to be perceived below the investment grades, the foreign perception will not changedo we give up privileges o