Nokia's new Romanian factory will generate 15,000 jobs

Nokia's investments in the factory in Jucu, Cluj County (Western Romania), is predicted to generate 15,000 jobs, according to the mayor of Cluj, Emil Boc.

The Nokia factory in Jucu is the first to be opened by the company in Romania. The major told Realitatea TV that representatives of the world's leading mobile phone manufacturer assured him of further investments in Cluj plant. The Nokia officials said the first ready-to-use phones will be ready by the 9th of February 2008.

Relocation from Germany to Romania

Major Boc saluted the intervention of Jose Manuel Durao Barroso, head of the European Commission, who rejected demands of European socialists to stop relocation of one of Nokia's production units from Germany to Romania. The Noka relocation is one of the biggest ever shifts in jobs from Western to Eastern Europe; 2,300 German workers will lose their jobs.

Nokia's decision led to a wave of protests amongst both German workers and politicians. The mobile phone producer announced it wanted to close the factory in Bochum (Germany) by mid 2008.