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Romania-Slovakia Bilateral Business Forum was organized on Tuesday in Bucharest
Youth are leaving Romania and Slovakia, and to make them come back the countries must invest in education, research, innovation and start-ups, Slovakia's President Andrej Kiska told the Romania - Slovakia Bilateral Business Forum.
"People are leaving from our countries. I know that a few millions of Romanians have left the country, a few hundred thousands have left Slovakia. We sometimes feel that the best young people leave the country. We must think what to do to keep them home. (...) I have a 26-year-old daughter, she left to London, then moved to Prague, and I asked her to come back. My 30-year-old son went abroad. All of us parents want to see our children close to us. They told me: "Father, we need those companies in Slovakia. When they come, we'll also come." How can we make the big companies hire them in Romania and Slovakia? Let us invest in research, innovation, let us prepare our society for them, to provide them with opportunities to be here. There are two priorities for us to focus on in the future, namely education and research, development, innovation and start-ups," the Slovak head of state said.
He pointed out that Slovakia expects this year a 4 percent economic growth in the context in which the country's budget is under control and unemployment is declining.
"Among the things we have in common [Slovakia and Romania], you have Dracula and we have Dracula's Lady, Elizabeth Bathory. Both our countries need a good economic growth. We also expect a 4 percent economic growth, we have the budget under control, unemployment is increasingly lower. Both our countries fare well, but we also have common problems. We can see great differences among regions. There is a difference between our countries, a very big one, and I must say I am sorry that we don't have these similarities, namely that you have started a very strong fight against corruption. Unfortunately, this has not happened in Slovakia yet," Andrej Kiska also said.
Romanian investors must be more audacious in connection to the business plans regarding Slovak economy, Romania's President Klaus Iohannis stated, in a message sent on Tuesday by presidential advisor on economic matters Cosmin Marinescu, at the Romania - Slovakia Bilateral Business Forum.
"In the last 4 years, the trade between our economies increased by an annual average of almost 9 percent, which clearly shows the consolidation of our commercial relations. In 2015, the bilateral trade reached a maximum of 2.4 billion Euros. It is up to us to further develop this positive trend. On an investment plan, in Romania there are over 600 Slovak companies with a total invested capital of almost 50 million Euros. Slovakia is, in its turn, more attractive for Romanian investments but the investment potential of our cooperation is much bigger. We invite Slovak investors to come with confidence to Romania, and I advice Romanian investors to be more audacious regarding the business plan which concerns Slovak economy," Iohannis stated.
According to him, the Romanian economy goes through a period of robust growth, which makes Romania be "an European champion of economic growth."
"Romania's economy goes now through a period of economic growth. The first semester of this year recorded an economic growth of 5.2 percent, which makes Romania an European champion of economic growth," the President added.
According to him, in the auto industry there is a special collaboration potential between Romania and Slovakia, but progresses can be obtained in other sectors, too.
"Between Romania and Slovakia there is a special collaboration potential in the area of the auto industry. Slovakia recorded in the last years remarkable progresses becoming one of the most important actor of the auto industry. In Romania, in the past 10 years, the auto industry increased from almost 4 billion Euros to over 20 billion Euros in 2015. We can have similar progresses in other areas, such as the IT or telecommunication sector, where Romanian young people are very well prepared and they represent a valuable resource for the business environment," Iohannis stated.
According to him, the Port of Constanta must become the main maritime port for Slovak commerce. "We want the Danube to link us not only geographically but culturally and economically, and the Port of Constanta to become the main naval port for Slovak commerce. Vital in this direction is the European Union strategy for the Danube region, a mechanism designed for the economic and social development of the Danube's macro-region. We want a closer collaboration between the professional associations and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry from both countries in order to identify new collaboration advantages and opportunities," President Iohannis stated.
According to the National Trade Register Office (ONRC) at the end of August, in Romania there were 644 companies with Slovak capital, that stood at 49.5 million Euros. In the first six months of this year, according to the Economy Ministry, Romania recorded a trade deficit of 247.5 million Euros. The total value of the exports exceeded 494.6 million Euros (+1.25 percent), while the imports value stood at 742.1 million Euros (13.8 percent).
Romania is dealing with a lack of trust in a better future, both inside the country and outside the borders, stated on Tuesday Economy Minister Costin Borc, during the Romania-Slovakia Bilateral Business Forum.
According to the minister, the state must be a facilitator of the innovation of the ecologic-system development in Romania. "The industry is undergoing today, on a global level, through a paradigm changing in which the innovation is the main ingredient of business success. Competitiveness means the ability to anticipate the trends, to position in front of the market's actors, to innovate and come with accessible solutions. The state, in this conditions, must be a facilitator in the development of the eco-system innovation in Romania. Through all the to-the-point actions, the Government proposes today a type 4.0 approach of Romania's industrialization, a concept that places the IT industry and the intelligent specializations not only as an engine of economic growth but as a propulsion force for the industries with a proven capacity for enhancing and competing," the Economy Minister added.
The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Romania in collaboration with the Slovak Investment and Trade Development Agency and the Economy, Trade and Relations with the Business Environment Ministry, organized on Tuesday the Romania - Slovakia Bilateral Business Forum, which is also attended by Slovak President Andrej Kiska.