The business environment requires urgent measures

The situation of taxation, the lack of workforce, the need for investments in education and attracting young people to Vrancea County were among the main topics addressed during an organized meeting, on Wednesday, by the president of the County Council (CJ) Vrancea, Nicușor Halici, with the representatives of the local business environment.

‘Efficiency does not mean increasing, in any form, taxes. Efficiency means a correct and balanced collection from as many companies as possible on the territory of Romania. And here we are still coda, and the guilty is exclusively the state, because it fails this collection. There is a debate and many opinions, both in the public environment, but also in the political environment, to increase taxes. We oppose, at least from a political point of view (…), to any tax increase that could limit not only profits, but especially development and, in some cases, even survival of companies, « Halici said.

Romania has a very high level of taxation

‘In this context, the Romanian companies are facing an unfair competition. And that is why the state must support the domestic economic environment. We hope that the negative lessons of the last 20 years, in which this environment has not been protected or sustained, will not be repeated. It takes a change in attitude and public policy. We must understand that the essential role of those in the administration and the political area is to ensure the existence of a strong and efficient private environment. Only in this way will we have more resources and we will be able to develop major public projects, for the benefit of all, whether we are talking about companies or we are talking about citizens, « said Nicușor Halici.

The main projects initiated by the county administration

One of the initiatives considered essential for the future of the county is the realization of the integrated university campus, the project that was greeted by the business environment, in the context in which the lack of specialized labor is a major difficulty.

‘A healthy community also needs an active social component. What do people do, usually on the weekend? In the city of Focșani there is almost nothing from the point of view of recreational activities. Local authorities need to think very, very seriously how young people can attract in the city during the weekend. Moreover, a healthy country invests in education. And for us, the project of the university campus is, we must recognize, the most emblematic project of the last 35 years in Vrancea county. We must admit this. Education is essential. As well as health, another extremely important area. And a topic that is often neglected, although it should be a priority, is sport. Sport is vital, for young people, for all of us, for any citizen of the city or county ‘, said businessman Marian Spânu.

Insufficiently qualified workforce issue

‘It is a total break between what education offers and needs on the labor market. We live in the largest vineyard of the country, but for over ten years there is no agricultural profile in the high schools in Vrancea. (…) There are no more agricultural specialists, they are like cosmonauts. We find divers easier than engineers or people with agricultural training. Look at the faculties in Vrancea, think that it is not possible that no agriculture specialist is not formed in an agricultural county. Agriculture can be a great resource for any county. Unfortunately, it is no longer ˜thendy to learn this, but it should be. We are part of a small employer of business people and we set out to organize professional guidance meetings, to go to high schools and tell young people who are waiting for them, « said Loredana Popescu, experienced entrepreneurs in the agricultural sector.

Professional orientation is superficial

‘Currently, the professional orientation is superficial, maybe at the club or at the bar, it is not related to what follows after the completion of a faculty. Is it worth losing four years of parents’ money to study something for which there will be no job offer? We are facing the lack of workforce, we do not find who to recruit. We should become friends, we, the business environment, politics and education, « said Loredana Popescu.

The risk of new tax measures

‘I see a paradox. There is a consciousness that there is no very qualified work resource. However, we tax this resource a lot. If we think of phenomena such as market evolution or tax evasion, it is the simplest equation: we have little taxed capital, while the workforce is very taxed. Aware of the fact that this workforce is not sufficiently qualified, and the qualification falls to our employers. In a context of economic competitiveness, we begin to lose ground. I do not know if there is time for some industries to resume under the current conditions in Vrancea County, given the high level of taxation and excessive administrative decisions taken in a very short time, « Doru Simiz, businessman from Focșani, drew attention.

Sntrepreneurs need to be protected by imbalances

‘Therefore, the message we send now is very important, because other fiscal measures are prepared, which come to the same foundation and all those who have problems with resources have to pay these taxes. In contexts like this, competitiveness becomes a critical topic, one that risks leading to the loss of many investments, « said Doru Simiz.

About 40 representatives of the business environment in the county, activating in sectors such as textiles, wine-growing, Horeca, IT, construction and consulting, participated in the meeting with the president of CJ Vrancea. The discussions highlighted the concerns of entrepreneurs towards issues such as fiscal policies and the educational system, emphasizing the need for closer cooperation between public authorities, educational institutions and the private sector.