The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against State Abuses (FACIAS) has sued the Government and asks the court to compel the state representatives to draw up rules for the implementation of Article 17 para. (1) - (5) of the Youth Law. Although it includes forms of material support that can be granted to young people, the Government is trying by all means to prevent FACIAS from acting.
A 2007 law, which provides support for young people in Romania, still cannot be applied today because the government is not drafting implementing rules.
Why is such a law important and what does it provide?
1) The State stimulates young people's entrepreneurial initiatives by supporting their access to business start-up consultancy services through non-reimbursable financial allocations.
(2) The State shall support young people in setting up small and medium-sized enterprises and in making investments, through preferential credit programmes, with priority in rural areas and geographical areas with a low economic level, in accordance with the law.
(3) The State shall grant facilities in the form of tax and duty reductions, for a period of at least one calendar year, for companies established by young graduates, regardless of their level of education.
(4) The State shall support the training of young people as future entrepreneurs and managers by organising free introductory courses in management and business administration.
Failing to develop these rules for 14 years, FACIAS sued the government and demanded that these rules be developed as a matter of urgency. What has the government done about it? You would probably expect it to urgently draft the regulations and support young people? Wrong! They are trying all sorts of tricks to stop the legal action.
How does the Government defend itself?
Specifically, the Government is asking for the annulment of the FACIAS action for reasons such as non-payment of the stamp duty, or because of the lack of interest of the foundation in promoting this action. Therefore, it is not important that young people in Romania are supported and that an organisation like FACIAS fights for this, it is important whether or not stamp duty is paid. Moreover, in court, the Government invokes some additional bureaucratic actions because of which they cannot issue the implementing rules and blames other institutions that should have taken some preliminary steps so that the rules could be issued. According to FACIAS, the Government, which is itself obliged to issue those rules and to actually implement the material aid to be granted to young people, should have requested the initiation of projects by subordinate bodies.
FACIAS asks the Romanian Government to assume its responsibility and take the necessary measures for the effective implementation of the Youth Law. This normative act must go beyond the stage of an unfulfilled promise and become a real instrument of support for young people in Romania.
FACIAS PRESS OFFICE