Romania's population diminishes

The President of Romania Traian Basescu outlined yesterday that in the last 17 years Romania's population lost 1,4 million inhabitants because of international immigration and diminishing natality. He added that, if the same birthrate continued, Romania would have 16,5 million inhabitants in 2050.
He claimed that, despite warnings from statistics institutions, so far no serious measures were taken to counter this negative trend.
The President argued as follows: "In influence of this decrease is so great that, even if we take measures to improve fertility, the population will increase only after 2060. (...) This is a problem of the entire Romanian society, of the family, of the Church, of citizens and of present and future generations. Unless we do something to overcome this now, it may be too late for the future generation". He pleaded that "the few decades of demographic deserts" needed to be left behind.
The President insisted in his speech that the diminishing of the active population would have a special impact. In 2005 Romania had 10 million active inhabitants and in 2025 the active population will be 9,3 million and in 2050 the number will go down to 6,7 million. 40 is now the average age of the active population, but it will be 45 in 2025. He commented: "The mission of our children and grandchildren is very difficult. It is very difficult for any nation. Romania must revise the demographic policy as soon as possible. It can only be done in keeping with the solutions the Romanian demography school provides. But there are some problems functioning as resources for solution".
President wants very creative immigrants
As for the international immigration in general and the young labor force in particular, Paul Pacuraru, Romania's labor minister, mentioned authorities were working on a set of measures to persuade the youth employed abroad to return to work in Romania. The minister explained: "There is unofficially estimated that there are 2 million Romanians who work abroad. The official figures are smaller. Unfortunatelly, it is about active population. Romania is trying to bring these Romanians back home". He gave no information about the means to do this, since in Romania such people gain much less than abroad.
The President argued yesterday that Romania needed top immigrants and immigration should become a selective process: "We need migration fluxes from the demographic areas outside the EU in order to grant selective access to the country, especially to those people who can perform very creative activities, typical of knowledge-based economy".

Corina Scarlat
Ziua Miercuri 19 Septembrie 2007 http://www.ziua.net/english