Simion’s electoral gambit is to tap into anger among Romanians about the privatization of key industries after the fall of Communism. Many complain that the crown jewels across the country’s economy were sold off too cheaply to businesses connected to the former security services.
The 38-year-old founder of the hard-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians said the privatizations had been “very bad” and left ordinary people “frustrated.”
The risk for Simion, however, is that investors could quickly turn hostile, withdraw funds and undermine the country’s economy if they feel Romania is no longer a safe place to do business.
ROMANIA PRESIDENTIAL POLL OF POLLS
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Addressing this potential fallout, Simion insisted Bucharest would strike a deal at a fair price to buy out OMV. “We will respect fully our commitments in our international alliance in foreign trade. So you can do this actually in an international economy, with paying the right cost through negotiations to the company,” he said.
He added he had held talks with representatives of OMV and insisted the firm was “interested in selling the refinery and the gas stations” it operates in Romania.
The right-winger also complained about the Austrian company’s Black Sea operations. “As you well know, we have onshore gas and offshore gas, and the offshore gas should have been exploited by OMV, they are delaying this and this is a security issue for us and the whole Europe.”
