Romania tries to attract new investment projects, while making sure existing investors don't have an intention to leave.  The Romanian Minister of Economy, Ion Ariton had several meetings with foreign investors this week, about the time Nokia announced it will end its investment in Romania, at Jucu. Ariton met representatives of the Korea Nuclear consortium, of EADS – Eurocopter, as well as the British Business Secretary Vince Cable and representatives of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham).

On September 26, the Romanian Minister met the Korea Nuclear consortium delegation, interested to invest in the project to build Cernavoda’s 3 and 4 nuclear reactors, through acquiring a stake in EnergoNuclear SA, the company which will build the third and fourth nuclear reactors at the country’s Cernavoda plant. The Korean consortium's decision to invest in the Romanian Cernavoda project was announced in late August this year, when the Korean part sent a letter of intent to express its interest in acquiring a stake in EnergoNuclear SA, the company which will build the third and fourth nuclear reactors at the country’s Cernavoda plant.

The next day, on September 27, Ion Ariton had a meeting with the delegation of the EADS - Eurocopter, the business partner of IAR Ghimbav. “We want our activities in Romania and the partnership with IAR Ghimbav to have a sustainable basis in a long term, so we can develop our business in Romania,” said Matthieu Louvot, vice president of Eurocopter's development strategies. The Romanian Government signed last year an agreement with helicopter producer Eurocopter, one of the objectives of this project being to produce helicopters in Ghimbav.

The same day, the Romanian Minister received the visit of the American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) representatives . The meeting included discussions about the major economic projects between Romania and the United States, that can raise the economic component of the Strategic Partnership for the 21th Century, including Romania's energy strategy, the public-private partnership projects, and the implementation of the European directives in the energy segment.

On Thursday, September 29, the British Business Secretary Vince Cable had a meeting with the Romanian Minister of Economy. During this meeting, he said British companies are interested to invest in Romania, especially in the energy sector. Ion Ariton presented the state-owned companies up for privatization or restructuring and invited British companies to invest in firms like OMV Petrom (where the state still holds a minority package), Transelectrica, Transgaz, Romgaz, Hidroelectrica, Nuclearelectrica, Oltchim.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com

edited by Corina Saceanu, corina@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Sxc.hu)