The American Chamber of Commerce in Romania (AmCham Romania) rejects the allegations that multinational companies would have encouraged their employees to participate in large protests against the government and politicians who endorsed its measures to amend the Criminal Code.
„On behalf of its members, U.S., Romanian, EU and international companies, AmCham Romania rejects the recent allegations reflected in the public media according to which multinational companies in Romania have supported the public protests, in response to the impact of the recent tax and legislative changes,” says a press release of the institution.
AmCham Romania considers „unhealthy for the Romanian society to disseminate such untrue statements. Romanian citizens working in both multinational and local companies have voluntarily expressed their point of view in public, without any interference by their employer.”
Senator Adrian Tutuianu (PSD), Chairman of the Joint Standing Committee for the Exercise of Parliamentary Control over the Activity of the Romanian Intelligent Service (SRI), said last week he would ask SRI to check the information that multinational companies „sent their employees to protests”.
On the other hand, AmCham Romania recalls the competitive advantage of the Romanian human capital that ” has placed Romania on the global economy map, due to the high technical, linguistic and creativity competences that especially young generations have brought to the labour market and that had a defining role in attracting investments in the local economy.”
„Stigmatizing employees due to the country of origin of the shareholders only builds up an unnecessary tension and lack of confidence among employees and employers, while also sending a negative signal to investors,” especially given that the competitive advantage mentioned “is affected by the brain drain and demographic trends,” mentions the release.
Multinational companies „ensure a better life for hundreds of thousands of Romanian families, through the volume of their investments, the size of the operations they run and the jobs offered.”
Multinationals „have a high contribution to the GDP, generously support social causes and open access to the wide expertize gained in international markets, thus contributing to the overall progress of the Romanian economy.”
Moreover, “in today’s Romania, values such as responsibility, integrity and civic spirit cultivated at the workplace should be acknowledged and acquired by all employees in the public and private sector.”
AmCham opposes the allegations made against the multinational companies by the idea that „the collaboration between the local and foreign companies, partners for developing a solid and competitive business environment, needs to be fostered as it is a prerequisite for a functional and competitive economy, that will contribute to a better life for all Romanians”.
„AmCham Romania remains committed to its mission of facilitating an open and transparent public-private dialogue, a process that supports the shared objective of country’s economic growth,” concludes the press release.
American Chamber of Commerce in Romania (AmCham Romania) is an „advocacy and business growth professional association”, founded in 1993 by a group of US companies.
In 2015, AmCham Romania brought together 400 American, international and local companies, large and small, representing total investments of over USD 20 billion and about 250,000 jobs, according to the organization’s data.
AmCham Romania is a member of the US Chamber of Commerce and the European network AmChams in Europe.