I am pleased to address the first uninominal Parliament, Romania's President Traian Basescu declared in the Parliament. Basescu holds a speech in the Parliament addressing important issues like a possible foreign loan and the country's current account deficit.
The most important declarations:
- Romania has a Government that enjoys a stable Parliamentary majority, a majority for reform
- The currently coalition gained 70% of the population votes. This majority can represent Romania's chance to deal with the economic crisis
- Given the crisis, we need even more solidarity
- The governmental coalition needs to diminish the effects of the crisis, to engage more with the citizens and modernize Romania
- The economic crisis represents both an opportunity and a risk
- The main priority should be the state's reform: if reform is not accomplished, no other Government or majority can justify its existence to its citizens
- A modernized country can overcome the global crisis
- The Parliament needs to take an active stance in assuring the governmental policy coherence
Basescu on the judicial reform
- I will talk about trust in the judicial system
- Even though it's been two years since we joined the EU, we are urged to accomplish all requirements
- The efficiency of the system needs to be reflected in every day life
- Long trials discourage citizens to address the courts and encourages self justice
- We are compelled to correct some aspects of the system through the new Codes
Basescu on the economy
- Romania faces an economic crisis, due to a budgetary mismanagement, even though the economy had an excellent growth rate
- Romania pays now for the lack of reform registered in the last couple of years and a lack of administrative modernization
- In the last years the public sector increased excessively and became a burden for the economy
- The government failed to help the creation of an independent, wealthy middle class
- Romania's budgetary deficit exceeded 5% in 2008
- If we do not take a stand, Romania will not be able to enter the euro zone
Basescu about the economic crisis:
- Romania is sustained by the European Union
- Even though the Union has all instruments aimed at helping a country, each country needs to have its own instruments
- To overcome the crisis, Romanians need to work harder and better
- Salaries increased in the last years faster than the work productivity
- We will overcome the crisis only if we reverse this situation
- Romania does not favor protectionist measures and is against a EU market fragmentation
- I believe credit conditions should be relaxed
- The economic crisis will have different effects over different social categories
- Current social measures do not target in an efficient way the vulnerable categories