Marcin Wilczek, Ambassador of Poland to Romania, and former Chief of Staff of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, discusses Poland’s assistance in undertaking further steps of the Romanian integration process with the EU, pointing out the FDI opportunities the country offers.

What are the priorities of your mandate as Polish ambassador to Romania?

Marcin Wilczek: Located on the north and south-eastern border of the EU, Poland and Romania share the same perception of the opportunities and challenges that rise from these positions. In this context, the Embassy’s main priority is to deepen interconnections of our countries within the EU and NATO.

The development of Polish-Romanian economic relations is our second priority, considering that both countries share common development attitude. Having in mind that the previous tendency of the Polish economy was focused on attracting foreign investors and capital, and new business trends show interest for acquisitions and new markets outside Poland, I believe that this could also be the path of the Romanian business development.

Part of my role as Polish ambassador is also to strengthen and further enhance the strong cultural and social relations between the countries, based on the rich history our countries share.

What steps should Romania undertake in order to boost the economic development?

Marcin Wilczek: Considering Poland’s development processes over the years, with growth mainly based on the success of the small and medium sized enterprises, as well as dynamic exports, FDIs and the inflow of EU funds, as one of strategic choices to determine its growth path for next decades, Romania could focus on the promotion and enforcement of its corporate sector. This could provide strong domestic capital base to balance the capital brought from foreign investments. In this context, it may be necessary to introduce new regulation to create positive business environment, which would support precisely SMEs expansion and growth. In addition, defining a strategy in improving absorption of EU funds, making adjustments in the administration and setting concrete directions of spending these funds, could certainly be of benefit.

Why should Polish investors target Romania?

Marcin Wilczek: Romania is a large and developing country, with a variety of resources for economic cooperation, such as building materials, machineries, banking services, financial services – all of which provide opportunities for establishing successful, joint production. Statistics show that there are more than 900 Polish companies registered in Romania, which invested here more than €500 million and provide a turnover of approximately €5 billion. Considering their achievements and the strong links, together with opportunities arising from the EU membership, many opportunities await Polish investors in Romania and subsequently – Romanian investors in Poland.