Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu, ready to take firm steps

Prime Minister Mugur Isarescu expressed, during a interview with Mediafax news agency, his readiness to intervene to the end of keeping a balance within the Government and for a natural development of the ruling act.

Reporter: The Romanian public life is, as it can be easily noticed, permeated by political torment. The electoral campaign has not been officially launched yet, but political factions are preparing for it, exercising the art of exchanging replies, sometimes under the form of accusations. Many important leaders are also members of the Cabinet you are leading. Will you be able to maintain a balance, so that the Government’s activity should not be hindered and to keep your promise to make reform during an electoral year as well?

Mugur Isarescu: This is the reason I have announced I would continue to be an independent, declining all political offers and promises I have been made and focusing my premier activity on reform steps that have to be taken during the following period. My political independence is a pledge I assumed, as an additional guarantee, that Romania would break the tradition of stalling reform during electoral periods. As to the current effervescent political life, it risks to draw political factions’ interest away from what is vital for us during the three months ahead of elections, but also afterwards, that is to continue economic reform measures.

Reporter: What priorities are there at present?

Mugur Isarescu: Firstly, to continue solving some real economy problems, to restructure loss-making enterprises, to cut down arrears, to more attentively check monopolies that set burdensome prices without reducing their material and personnel expenses. Then, to rectify the budget and calm down inflation.

Reporter: What should we expect as to inflation?

Mugur Isarescu: This year’s inflation target will be overshot and, from this point of view, we are registering a failure of the economic programme. The complete picture of the economic policy has, however, as a rule, in any country, other three components: unemployment, economic growth and foreign balance. So far, economic growth is a fact, unemployment is sliding and foreign deficit is within the projected limits, which is also reflected by the increase in the National Bank’s international reserves. Mediafax