How to attract investments to your county

For several years, Cluj has been the pole of investments in Romania. The arrival of Swedish group Nokia has changed the face of the county.

Were it not for the crisis, at least 10 companies working for Nokia would have now been present in Cluj, and investments would have topped 2bn euros in just a few years, according to Marius Nicoară, the man who brought Nokia in Cluj at the time he was the president of the County Council.

However, the time is not wasted, and the crisis will fade away; at any rate, investments exceed 1bn euros, he says.

How has Cluj managed to turn into a magnet for investments and what example can the county offer to other areas of Romania now suffering as they lack plants, jobs and budget revenues? What is the secret?

"Having a coherent programme, being reliable and having a good reputation," summarises Marius Nicoară, 52.

One of the Romania's biggest problems is its failure to narrow down disparities between its regions. For years, Bucharest-Ilfov region has been the wealthiest, with the lowest unemployment rate. The region of Moldova (North-East, including Bacău, Botoşani, Iaşi, Vaslui, Neamţ and Suceava counties, is still the poorest, according to statistical data.