The labor crisis, the rise of inflation, the prospects for the depreciation of the national currency and the extension of the financial bottleneck will be, in 2020, the most important challenges for the business environment. The year 2020 is seen by most investors as one in which the real reform measures will, unfortunately, be frozen, with direct consequences in the deterioration of the macro-economic framework. These are, in essence, the conclusions of the “Barometer on the state of the economy”, made by the consulting company Frames.

At the previous opinion barometer, of July 2019, the inflation and depreciation of the leu were in the forefront of investors’ fears, however, in 2020 the labor crisis tends to return to the forefront.

Asked what might be the main challenges that the business environment will face next year, over 60% of the interviewed companies indicated the labor force problem, 53% of the respondents mentioned the stress of the financial bottleneck, 49% – rising inflation and 36% they were concerned about a potential negative evolution of the exchange rate.

“The labor crisis has intensified in 2019, and the importation of foreign workers has failed to compensate for even 10% of the necessary. Beyond stimulating consumption, wage increases in the budgetary environment have accentuated the imbalances in the labor market. In 2020, the development plans of many companies are in stand-by because of these personnel problems for which, unfortunately, the state delays in coming up with solutions, the most requested by the investors being a necessary reduction of the taxes on wages. In addition, there is a need for a plan of measures for the return of Romanians, especially young people, to the country, taking into account the Polish model,” show the Barometer conclusions.