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PM Orban, at the 'Government Question Time' in the plenary meeting of the Chamber of Deputies
Prime Minister Ludovic Orban on Monday told the Opposition representatives that they don't understand anything from the European Union, and that they should be ashamed for talking about several thousand Romanians who now go to work abroad, in the context in which they chased millions of Romanians away, when they had the power, through the measures taken.
"I was invited, (...) within the 'Government Question Time' procedure, to debate on a topic established by the parliamentary group, and the debate was related to the economic programme, to the economy and, especially, to the future of the economy and reducing the negative effects of COVID crisis. (...) Unfortunately, there was no talk about economy, and, as such, I will give only one reply. It's clear that you don't understand anything from the European Union. The European Union means the free movement of people, of ideas, of capitals, of goods. Aren't you ashamed to talk about the Romanians going to work, because the seasonal workers, now a few thousand seasonal workers, after chasing millions of Romanians away who left, being exasperated by your governments, in which you have trampled the rights and freedoms and hopes of any Romanian? Such an audacity, I sorry, but it is very hard to get over it," Orban said in the plenary meeting of the Chamber of Deputies.
When responding to the questions asked by MPs, Orban said that the Liberal governance took more measures to the benefit of companies than the previous governance. He added that the necessary amounts have been earmarked to employees working for the companies which could no longer operate during the pandemic.
He also stated on Monday that the Government will put into practice a plan based on the principle "of producing in Romania what can be produced in Romania," mentioning that he will also set up a scheme to guarantee loans for companies that cannot access IMM Invest (programme for SMEs) .
He argued that he identified financial resources of almost 2 billion euro for programmes to support SMEs in investment projects and 300 million euro capital for the recovery of companies which have been affected, HORECA sector included.
"There has never been a plan just as we want to put into practice, namely a plan to be based on a very simple principle: to produce in Romania what can be produced in Romania, for the Government to be the partner of each investor that wants to carry out investments in Romania, which can truly generate productions in Romania. (...) We are preparing a plan of economic reconstruction on a healthy basis, which should put investments first, because the healthy growth must be based on investments, innovation, implementation of innovation results, on increasing competitiveness, processing in the Romanian economy. We are developing a very broad investment support scheme. (...) There has never been a project in Romania as ambitious as our project. We want to earmark huge amounts for public investments in transport, energy, sanitary infrastructure," Orban said.
The PM mentioned several projects including credit guarantee schemes for companies that cannot access IMM Invest, commercial credit between companies to streamline the cash flow and block the mechanism by which a "sick company" can affect the entire chain, as well as greenfield investments.
"We have identified financial resources, almost 2 billion euro, in order to generate programmes to support SMEs in investment projects and 300 million euro capital for restarting the companies which have been affected, HORECA included. (...) We are also thinking about furloughed employment schemes. Our estimate is that 800,000 Romanians are seeking jobs. Tools are needed for support, or the payment of salaries for the ones who re-employ those who are put on furlough and for those who hire workforce," Ludovic Orban said.