Theoreticians and analysts have Michael Porter or Robert Reich, politicians have party programmes, entrepreneurs have their own strategies and visions, while journalists take a little of everything. Many people keep repeating that the current economic crisis should be an opportunity for reflection, for catching up on those reforms not done in time and for plans for what to do after the crisis. Can we hope to get a feasible strategy for Romania’s development after the crisis from theories and programmes, from the expertise thus far and from articles in the press? What fields suit us, who should identify them and what should be done?

Almost all the businesspeople that BUSINESS Magazin has spoken with are talking about the necessity of a national development strategy, with consistency as the key word. The main development sectors are, as you can probably tell, agriculture, information technology and tourism, supported by a solid infrastructure and a quality education system.

How one should get to such a winning bet list would make for a long discussion. On one side of the fence, of those who support the role of the free market forces exclusively, sits Dinu Patriciu, chief executive of Rompetrol, a firm believer in liberal policies: ”Were we to free the economic environment from constraints, opportunities would be born naturally,” says Patriciu, a billionaire who is the only Romanian still on the Forbes list of richest people.

More businesspeople, however, believe in the necessity of the involvement of the state in setting economic directions to be followed, in partnership with the business environment, of course. ”The fate of Romania is in the courage with which the government, whatever colour it might be, undertakes the restructuring of public services and businesses from the ground up,” says Marius Stancescu, chairman of Riff Holding International, a business service company.

”There are countless models in developed states, we just need someone to do the research and apply the model,” he feels. Otherwise, unless a change of direction occurs, Romania’s economic future will show its ”incurable impotence” in the next ten years. Even pushed forward by EU’s integration mechanisms, if no government takes the risk of fundamental changes and is able to induce the effective use of public resources, we will always be ”the poor relative on a visit to the city,” Stancescu concludes.

A cooperation between politics and economy would be ideal, Florin Talpes, chief executive of the BitDefender software developer, believes, as well. Ideal not because it is desirable, but because it has not happened until now. ”Romania’s governments have been showing a great neutrality towards the fields of the future until now. As for the political environment, I don’t think it favours medium to long-term strategy building and consistent application of such strategies,” Talpes says.

The creator of BitDefender, the antivirus thought to be the best-known Romanian software application, says that a solid economy is a project that takes eight to twelve years and requires vision to begin it. ”However, political changes happen at intervals of less than four years and lead to replacement of all public servants down to school principals.” This means lack of continuity in strategies and renders Romania unable to show consistency in policies other than those imposed the structures we are part of, EU or NATO.

Traducere de Loredana Fratila-Cristescu si Daniela Stoican