• austriantimes.at
• croatiantimes.com
• salzburgtimes.at
• viennatimes.at
• austrianindependent.com

17. 07. 09. - 10:00

• more Business news...
• RSS Feed Business

17. 07. 09. - 10:00

Basescu invites Czechs to invest in Romania

Romanian Times

Romanian President Traian Basescu encouraged Czech businessmen to invest in Romanian agriculture and rural tourism yesterday (Thurs) in Prague.

Basescu said the Romanian government had 54 billion Euros that could be invested in agriculture until 2013, Mediafax has reported.

"This may be an opportunity for you as well, an opportunity for European businessmen to invest in Romania and gain access to that money," Basescu said.

Basescu added Romanian agriculture had great potential that was not being exploited.

"Unfortunately, we import 70 per cent percent of the products that are consumed in our households. We do not have our own technology," the president said.

He added that Romanian agriculture would be able to cover 80 per cent of domestic demand if companies decided to invest in the right technology.

"In addition, there is rural tourism. We have potential but often do not know how to attract foreign tourists," Basescu said.

The Romanian president also spoke about the country’s economy, which was in recession.

"We expect a decrease of the gross domestic product (GDP) of about 5.7 per cent," Basescu said, adding that the country’s banking sector was healthy, the government hadn’t needed to bail out banks and the country was sending fewer exports to Germany, the U.K., France and Spain.

Basescu also noted Romania’s unemployment rate was nearing 5.6 per cent.

Basescu was on a two-day, official visit to Prague.

Almost half of Romanians live in poverty
Almost half of the Romanians (8.89 millions) are at risk of poverty or social exclusion, according to Eurostat data published today (Weds).

Police carry man off the snow and save his life
A man who had collapsed in freezing weather near a river, in Stoina, Gorj, southern Romania, was saved after policemen carried him for several kilometres.

New government with same eight former ministers proposed
The Romanian parliament will vote on the new government team, proposed by designated Mihai-Razvan Ungureanu, tomorrow (Thurs).

Forty-one dead in freezing weather
Another three persons have died due to low temperatures in the last 24 hours, the Romanian Health Ministry said today (Weds).

EC report on Justice is positive, minister says
Romanian Justice Minister Catalin Predoiu currently acting prime minister until the new government is voted in by the parliament, said today (Weds) that the European Commission's interim report on progress in justice is, overall, "positive".

Pink Martini concerts in Bucharest
American orchestra Pink Martini will give a concert in Bucharest on 26 May at the Palace Hall, part of the promotional tour for their latest album "A Retrospective", local organisers Events said today (Weds).

Romania's industrial output up
Romania's industrial output increased by 15.6 per cent in 2011, the National Statistics Institute (INS) said today (Weds).

Father tried for abusing four-year-old girl
A Romanian father was sent to trial for abusing his stepdaughter, aged only 4, prosecutors said today (Weds).

Pitch in best condition for Steaua-Twente match, authorities say
The pitch for the Europa League match Steaua Bucuresti - Twente Enschede will be in optimal condition, the Bucharest town hall promises, after criticism of the National Arena turf.

More Romanian tourists travel to Austria
The number of Romanian tourists to Austria rose last year, after two years of a decline, Austria's National Tourism Office in Romania announced today (Weds).