President of CAPDR, Ion ȘTEFANOVICI: “Suceava and Botoșani are practically a single county. They are the most interconnected in the entire region. How many inter-county meetings are held in a year?”

At a time when the northern region of Moldova is benefiting from the largest infrastructure investments in recent decades, regional leaders warn that real development cannot occur without a joint strategy to economically capitalize on these resources.

Ion Ștefanovici, President of the Center for Regional Development Analysis and Planning (CAPDR), and Cezar Ioja, County Administrator of Suceava, discussed during a program broadcast by Antena 3 Suceava the urgent need for cooperation between Suceava and Botoșani counties to stimulate entrepreneurship and attract private investments.

The debate arises amid a major imbalance between public money invested in infrastructure and the lack of a favorable climate for the development of the private sector, as the number of dissolved companies is on the rise and people’s savings remain untapped.

Regional connectivity and infrastructure with economic meaning

Ion Ștefanovici emphasized that the true value of infrastructure investments — roads, railways, airports — lies not only in mobility and safety, but especially in the added value they can generate by activating the business environment.

“Everything we build must be capitalized on by people. By businesspeople. We, through CAPDR, together with the Regional Development Agency and the Chambers of Commerce, are mapping the business opportunities that naturally arise with infrastructure development. It is a natural continuity,” declared the CAPDR President.

In his view, the business areas of Suceava and Botoșani are already interconnected, especially in sectors such as agriculture. The agriculture panel of the Regional Forum will include entrepreneurs conducting business in both counties — a clear sign of the potential for regional integration.

“Botoșani and Suceava are practically one county. They are the most interconnected in the entire region,” Ștefanovici firmly stated, while raising the question: “How many inter-county meetings are held in a year?”

Call for pragmatic collaboration and letting go of pride

The response came from the County Administrator of Suceava, Cezar Ioja, who advocated for open cooperation between the two county councils, regardless of political affiliation or administrative differences.

“We are in the eleventh hour. If we don’t create facilities and conditions for investors, we risk missing out on essential opportunities. At the moment, I don’t see enough measures in the public space to stimulate entrepreneurship,” Ioja stated.

He warned of an alarming reality: in the first months of 2024, the number of dissolved companies increased by 40% compared to the same period in 2023. At the same time, the level of bank deposits — both from the population and companies — reached 515 billion lei, the equivalent of Romania’s total annual fiscal and non-fiscal revenues.

“This money does not generate added value. We should stimulate private investments, at least by directing them toward the actions of active companies,” the official explained.

Unprecedented public investments, but also an acute need for regional strategies

Cezar Ioja also pointed out that despite the budget deficit, Romania has allocated in recent years the largest amounts for public investments in its recent history. However, without an active partnership with the private sector, these investments risk not reaching their true potential.

“You can’t develop without investing in infrastructure. But at the same time, we must support the companies that bring added value. I have not yet seen serious discussions on how to stimulate this segment,” added Cezar Ioja.

Conclusion: Suceava and Botoșani must act as one

The message is clear: the development of Northern Moldova must go beyond administrative borders and local pride. Suceava and Botoșani already have an interconnected economy and benefit from ongoing infrastructure modernization, but the lack of a joint strategy risks turning opportunities into potential losses.

CAPDR, together with local authorities and the business environment, can play a decisive role in crystallizing this unified vision, where public investments are complemented by sustained and well-coordinated entrepreneurial initiatives.