[:en]Download the graphical presentation: 20.03.20 Report INSCOP COVID – 19 epidemic – Part I
Part 1: The public perception of measures to counter the negative consequences of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy and the job market
According to the latest INSCOP Research survey, “The public perception of the COVID -19 epidemic in Romania”, conducted in partnership with Verifield and the daily newspaper Adevărul, between March 16-19, 2020, the overwhelming majority of Romanians view as important and very important the government measures to support the economy and the labor market affected by the coronavirus epidemic.
Given the negative impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy and the job market, 91.7% of the respondents consider it is important and very important for the government to support the companies that have economic difficulties(63.8% think it is very important and 27.9% that it is important). 93.6% believe it is very important and important for the government to support major public or private investment projects to stimulate the Romanian economy and to create more jobs (72% – very important and 21.6% – important).
Granting low-interest loans to companies that make investments and create jobs is seen as very important and important by 87.2% of those interviewed (59% think it is very important, and 28.2% think it is important). Paying the government debts to the private companies (VAT refund) is considered important and very important by 79.2% (40.5% think it is very important, and 38.7% that it is important).
Remus Ștefureac, CEO and founder of INSCOP Research: “The vast majority of the population fully understands the major negative impact of the coronavirus epidemic on the economy. The public debates, but also the personal experience of hundreds of thousands of employees that already find themselves in difficulty, have put their mark on the perception of the economic risk. For this reason, for example, over 90% of Romanians believe that it is important and very important for the state to support the companies that face economic difficulties due to the coronavirus epidemic and to supportmajor public or private investment projects in order to stimulate the Romanian economy and to create more jobs. State investments in infrastructure, agriculture, encouraging investments for the production in Romania of indispensable goods such as sanitary materials or unlocking major private investment projects such as the exploitation of natural gas from the Black Sea, and the entry into the project of the state-owned company Romgaz can be useful measures to increase the confidence in the Romanian economy. On the other hand, the instant and an often desperate call for help from the government of the most private companies, big and small, raises the issue of rethinking the role of the state in the Romanian capitalist economic system after the end of this crisis. We cannot ask everything from the state in times of crisis, and afterwards to minimize its role, resources and administrative capacity. The capital also has a responsibility, and, in situations of national and global crisis, part of the accumulated profit should be allocated to support the employees. In turn, the institutions of the Romanian state should go through a deep reform process after this crisis (reducing the waste of public funds, increase the professionalism of staff, integrity) and modernization (in particular digitization) to meet the multiple challenges and to play a useful economic role for the whole society.”
The survey was conducted between March 16-19, 2020, by INSCOP Research in partnership with Verifield and the daily newspaper Adevărul. The data was collected using CATI (computer-assisted telephone interviewing) method. The volume of the multi-layered and multistage sample was 800 persons, representative for the non-institutionalized population of Romania, aged 18 and over, taking into account significant socio-demographic categories such as sex, age, occupation. The maximum permissible error of the data is ±3.5%, at a confidence level of 95%.
Download the graphical presentation: 20.03.20 Report INSCOP COVID – 19 epidemic – Part I[:]
