Romania 2010: Do we really want to reach bottom and stop falling?

Part 8

• to read part 1, click here
• to read part 2, click here
• to read part 3, click here
• to read part 4, click here
• to read part 5, click here
• to read part 6, click here
• to read part 7, click here

      During the last 40 days I have been presenting parts of my prediction for the year to come in many interviews or panels I participated. While stating my opinion, I received the feedback of tens of people, who agreed or disagreed with what I think. Meanwhile the world economic crisis prepares to enter in a new phase, with different characteristics than the previous two phases we all lived during the last 15 months. After the sudden collapse and the continuous drop, we enter now to the fragile stability with some drops of recovery. But these are for the rest of the world, not Romania…
      So, let me share with you what I expect to happen in Romania during 2010…

 Part 8: 2010: Do we REALLY want to stop falling?

 "The Greek evolution model has expired"
      "I am here so as to state to you my opinion and tell you some difficult truths. Let us be honest with ourselves. Which was the country's model of evolution over the last years? As Foreign Direct Investments did not really come to Greece, we were collecting money from European Union and loans, pouring them to consumption. We soon reached the point where everyone was stealing the other: The butcher steals his clients, selling more expensive, the same did his client, the owner of restaurant, his clients too, the doctors and lawyers{C}{C}{C} and so on. Everyone who had the ability to charge more, did it. So we ended up living in a society where everything is more expensive than it should, practically everything is blocked, new money does not really enter and we expect someone else to save us, so as to start spending again. Meanwhile, we have loans worth over 300 billion euro, around 120% of our GDP and a huge public sector, equal at size with the English one (but England has 7 times more population than us)".
      Hristos Konstas is one of the top Greek economic journalists. He does not follow the typical model of journalist who just transmits what the others say, he states his own opinion, backed with arguments and he constantly searches to understand things better. I follow his work over the last 20 years and I am happy to tell you that many times his predictions proved to be correct, even when they sounded "weird" in the beginning. He was the main reason for me to join an event at the center of Athens, at Syntagma (Constitution) Square this Tuesday. It was focused on Greek economy and its perspectives plus some alternative models of future evolution. He is one of the few who dare standing out of the crowd, saying difficult things, which are not always easy for people to accept (very few of us like to read / hear the truth). And he said many more about Greece as country, the banking system and how "Green Economy" can enter in our life, create jobs and stimulate the economy to the right direction. His panel of experts was one of the best I have listened to and the lessons I had were really interesting.
      But wait a minute… Except the "not sufficient Foreign Direct Investments" and the 300 billion euro loans, all the rest are the same in Romania too, aren't they?

Governments make mistakes, but we are also responsible for the situation around us
      Yeah, I know the good old story here in the Balkans, Romania, Greece etc. People are not responsible, never and for nothing. There is always someone else to blame: The Government, the market, the bad foreigners, the Capitalism, the ruthless society, the others who are "nesimtiti", not themselves for sure… So, I notice so many ones complaining for the others, while they do exactly what they are complaining for. The levels of responsibility towards society are quite low. In the good periods, most of people are happy for being individually ok, because they managed to succeed by themselves. In bad periods, most people are upset because the others don't let them win, or cause to them all kinds of problems… First one to blame is always the politicians and the Government. Not that they are not responsible, but we are the ones who elect them and accept their good or bad behavior.

Look what happened to Greece and try to learn…
      The top Greek journalist has described things that happen in Romania too. But if you don't believe me, try to listen to him. All this approach of Greeks, that someone else will pay for THEIR loans, led the country to the situation of today. Now it will have to undertake very painful measures, so as to keep up with the rest of Europe. The majority of people refuse to understand this and pretend that someone else will save them again. But next year things will worsen a lot and the structure of society will feel the pressure of the "tornado" coming.
      I have nothing against the ones who spend. But I do not agree with the ones who don't produce and just like spending, like Greeks did over the last 30 years. Where did they end up? With half of society suffering (but still refusing to change) and a state, whose income (94% of it, to be more precise) is spent on salaries, pensions and loans of the past (leaving no money for all the rest). Do we want to happen the same in Romania too?
     

      I do not tell you that Romania is a paradise, it is definitely not. But the country has improved a lot over the last years and it has started approaching the European standards with an increasing speed, changing the "idle" situation of the past. This happened in a more or less necessary way: Pouring money into economy and trying to fill the pockets of people. This was acceptable at that time. Now what I try to tell you is that the solution is not to return in the past, with the salaries of 100 euro / month, so as Romania to become attractive again. There is another way too: To become more serious and responsible as society, to respect (all of us) our clients, no matter who they are, to make an effort so as to improve the level of life here, our productivity, our results. To increase our added value.
      Call me romantic, naïve or stupid. But I DO believe on the potential of this country, after its people will realize that it takes more to succeed. I know it is difficult to change attitudes established over decades, but we live during historical periods and our opportunity is very big. This chance to change the status of the country and move forward with fast pace is waiting us. Are we going to take advantage of it, or we will continue searching to steal each other and sink in our problems and (growing) misery.
      This is why I ask you once more; Do we REALLY want to stop falling? Reply and you will know by yourselves what will happen during 2010…