Romanian Pres See Econ Growth To 3-4.5% In ’09

“Romania will look much better than other countries that saw financial collapse; Romania will not see a negative growth. The economy will grow by 3% to 4.5%, provided we kick off the large infrastructure programs, SME development that will capitalize agricultural production, the thermal insulation programs,” Basescu told a press conference in western city of Timisoara.

 

Basescu said the international economic crisis affected the Romanian economy on two key levels: exports and production financing.

 

“No government can provide external markets, and many of the Romanian companies see a rough decrease on the external market, but we can help them on the local market,” Basescu said.

 

“We cannot help the economy by making decisions in an office in Bucharest, we have to know the exact situation of large companies to stimulate the local market for them,” he added.

 

The Romanian head of state is on his second week of working visits to large companies nationwide. Basescu said his visits precede the upcoming talks to political parties to form a new government that will help limiting the negative impact of the economic crisis.

 

On Thursday afternoon, Basescu met Dan Bedros, general manager of telecommunication equipment maker Alcatel-Lucent in Timisoara. Basescu said the company is unaffected by the economic crisis and will continue its growth.

 

Prior to visiting Alcatel-Lucent, the president paid visits to railroad car producer Astra Calatori in the western city of Arad and discussed to the management and the union leaders. After the discussion, he said that the company’s more than 1,000 employees will keep their jobs in 2009, as the company has enough orders.

 

On Tuesday, Basescu visited Romanian steel works Mechel Targoviste (COS.RO), a unit of Russia’s mining and metals Mechel Steel Group. Last week, he visited chemical plant Azomures (AZO.RO), carmakers Dacia and Ford, state-owned chemical plant Oltchim Ramnicu Valcea SA (OLT.RO), steel producer ArcelorMittal Galati Romania, a unit of UK-based giant ArcelorMittal, Damen and Daewoo shipyards and Upetrom plant in Ploiesti.

 

Last Friday, Basescu visited Nokia plant and Mechel steel mill in Campia Turzii.

 

Basescu said that his recent visits to large companies were not part of any electoral campaign.

 

He said he would continue his visits in the upcoming period, until the new government settles in, so that he can pass the country’s core issues onto the new executive.