It is vital for the Government to support the automotive industry, which contributes significantly to our country’s GDP and plays a crucial role in Romania’s exports, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu told the Sustainable and Accessible Mobility Forum on Thursday, an event organised by the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Importers of Romania.

„Over the years, the Romanian automotive industry has demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for adaptation and innovation. And today we are here to celebrate these achievements and to discuss the sustainable future of mobility. In this context, I believe that our ‘Reindustrialisation of the Economy’ plan, which we are about to launch, comes to support this strategic industry of the country. This plan aims to transform Romania into a technology and innovation hub in South East Europe within the next 10 years. We aim to attract significant investment in the automotive sector, develop the necessary infrastructure and support research and development in electric and autonomous vehicles. It is vital to support our automotive industry, which contributes significantly to our country’s GDP and plays a crucial role in the volume of Romania’s exports,” said Marcel Ciolacu.

He highlighted that automobile production increased spectacularly this year, with „over 600,000 units produced annually by the Dacia and Ford Otosan plants,” achievements which not only support national economy, but also place Romania as an important player on the European car market.

He went on detailing the government commitment to modernise the automotive industry sector, mentioning the ‘Rabla’ car scrappage scheme or the incentives for hybrid or electric cars.

At the same time, he pointed out the need of dedicated programmes to support the car industry from the European Commission, stressing that, without intervention and support from the EC, the automotive industry in Romania and the EU could face massive layoffs in the coming years.

In conclusion, the prime minister reiterated Romania’s commitment to green projects and to decarbonising the economy.

„However, we must be aware that the transition to a green economy must not become a brake on the economic development of our country and the automotive industry in particular. It is essential to strike a balance between environmental protection and economic growth, so as to ensure a prosperous and sustainable future for all our citizens,” said Prime Minister Ciolacu.

AGERPRES