Business Associations Turn To Government To Save Jobs

The National Confederation of Romanian Business Associations (CNPR) is urging the still incumbent Government to take a vital measure in order to ensure the minimum prerequisites for saving some industrial jobs, reads a press release from CNPR. CNPR is expecting the Government to react to and support the financial and organizational efforts made by all Romanian companies affected by the economic crisis triggered by the collapse of lending and consumption and introduce emergency fiscal aid. Specifically, CNPR would like the Government to issue an emergency ordinance, "one that would deserve this name, for a change," and introduce an exemption for the taxes due by employers and employees for the support funds disbursed to employees in the event that companies decide to downsize or stop operations for up to six months as a result of lack of orders and/ or the cancellation of a substantial part of their export orders. The measure would apply to companies that do so and cut the salaries of the affected personnel to 75% as a way of saving their jobs. CNPR is requesting the urgent approval of this measure as minimum proof of the State"s desire to actually support the business environment and help preserve jobs as essential prerequisites for gradually resuming normal economic operations, in line with the European economy.

CNPR is also asking authorities to maintain the quota of 2% of the mandatory pension contribution that is transferred to privately-managed mandatory pension funds. Moreover, the use of the funds already collected and to be collected in 2009 should be thoroughly audited, CNPR requests.