President Klaus Iohannis on Thursday awarded Chairman of the Trade Competition Council Bogdan Chiritoiu and three other competition officials Romania’s Star in the rank of Knight decorations to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Competition Council, as a token of high esteem for the significant contribution to the protection and boost of competition on the Romanian market in order to develop an adequate competition environment and to promote the consumers’ best interests.
Iohannis congratulated the Competition Council on its sustained effort in the service of the Romanian economy, in accordance with the free market principles prevailing in the European Union and in the developed economies of the world.
“We are now, after a quarter century, at a point where we can say that we have a market economy and consolidated organisations after a transition that was not simple at all. During this period, regulators played a very important part, which the Competition Council has displayed and I hope to do so further,” said Iohannis.
According to him, the emergence of open, honest and fair competition is essential to the Romanian economy, so that the business environment may develop through its own forces, and also through authentic achievements.
“Competition is the key factor in the manifestation of economic freedom and prosperity. In this sense, I am convinced that in the future, the Competition Council will prove its professionalism at the highest level so that competition may provide as many antibodies as necessary to a sound and dynamic economy. The business environment needs clear, predictable rules and transparent authorities to enforce the rules. At the same time, the well-being of consumers depends, to an important degree, on the vigilance and the fairness in your operation. I want to congratulate the Competition Council officials whom I have decorated today and encourage them to carry out with same responsibility and determination their activity in the field of competition, to the benefit of a free economy where companies have the right framework to prosper and with them the whole society,” Iohannis concluded.
Chiritoiu said the council’s officials, some of whom were there for the decoration ceremony, contributed to the removal of obstacles to Romania’s accession to the European Union.
“Because of their efforts, Romania managed to join the EU in 2007 as scheduled. Then, many of those present here have worked at the council for the last few years achieving the results that make us happy; you can rest assured that we will do at least the same in the future. We make sure that competition rules in Romania are respected, that the law is applied correctly and efficiently to secure the smooth operation of the economy, a normal framework for the business activities and the prosperity of consumers,” Chiritoiu.
Also decorated by President Iohannis were Mihai Berinde, a former chairman of the Competition Council (2004-2007); Director General of the Competition Council Daniela Victoria Badila, and Deputy Director of the Legal Division of the Competition Council Andrei Pufulescu.
