Germany "remains Romania’s main trading partner"

Germany remains Romania’s main trading partner, and the growth rate of trade between the two countries is impressive, was mentioned during a recent event organized in Cluj-Napoca, according to RRA Correspondent in Cluj, Claudiu Pădurean.

The interest of German businessmen is stimulated by the geographical and cultural proximity. These are the conclusions of the debates that have been held at the Babeş-Bolyai University, for this year's Herbstfest - Autumn Festival of the German Economy.

According to Romania's Ambassador to Germany, Emil Hurezeanu, over the 10 years since Romania became a Member of the European Union, the average growth rate of bilateral trade between Romania and Germany was 10%. Last year alone, though, the growth was higher, 15%, as Emil Hurezeanu said.

Emil Hurezeanu: Romania is the largest peripheral country in the European Union that does not have the problem of separation or centrifugal rearrangement, but of recentralization and solidarity. It's a chance we should not lose. The economy helps us (…).

RRA Reporter: For Romania to remain linked to the hard core of the European Union, a priority must be the entry into the Eurozone, as former Prime Minister Emil Boc, now mayor of Cluj, said.

When he resigned from his position of Prime Minister, he was preparing the draft of Romania's accession to the European single currency in 2015.

Emil Boc: I was in the Government, there was such a plan, correlated with the National Bank, for the integration of Romania into te Eurozone in 2013-2015, with some deficit targets, with two years in attendance for the euro area, respecting all of the five major conditions provided for the Eurozone, difficult but beneficial for the Romanian economy as well as for the citizens. (…) Getting into the Eurozone brings much more advantages than disadvantages.

RRA Reporter: Romania must abandon the bureaucracy when attracting European funds, in order to accelerate its development with this money, said MEP Daniel Buda.

Daniel Buda: There is a very clear road map for the European Union, the problem is where Romania will be (…) Because, unfortunately, today's Romania must observe that, yes, we have a very strong handicap in what means absorbing European funds. Being a Member State of the European Union may be perhaps the best thing that could have ever happened to Romania throughout its existence. Because we look at the money that came to Romania, and we look at how much money we gave away, and we see that we receive more than we give.

RRA Reporter: The Romanian and German businessmen who participated in the Cluj Conference estimate that in future the Romanian-German economic cooperation will become even more intense.

They also believe that Romania's development will accelerate, after Bucharest will adopt a series of reforms, including that of the public administration, in the sense of regional development.

Source:RRA.Translated by Miruna Matei