Microsoft plans to continue investment in Romania

Bill Gates (photo), co-founder of U.S.-based company Microsoft, plans to continue investments in Romania. Yesterday, after the official opening of the Global Support Centre in Bucharest, he stated, "I am pleased to be here on my first visit to Romania and to take part in the opening of a centre that will help our clients resolve important problems (...). We plan to continue our investments in Romania," added Gates. He also commented that introducing the Internet in more countries would be the basis of an educational system's development, and Romania is the prime example for that. "Romania's contribution to the global development of the IT industry exceeds our expectations, considering the size of the country and the population. Microsoft's investments in Romania are more important now that the country became a member of the European Union," added the Microsoft chairman of the board. The general manager of Microsoft for EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Africa), Guido Haring also said he was impressed by the Romanians' technical and linguistic skills, as well as by their energy and enthusiasm. "The centre based in Bucharest will offer assistance to our top clients and it will become even more important now that Windows Vista has been launched," said Haring. The centre will offer assistance and technical support for Microsoft's clients from Europe, Middle East and Africa and during the first year will employ approximately 100 people from Romania as well as from other parts of Europe.