Privatisation is one of the key elements of the economic reform.
The authorities opted for a privatisation approach which recognises both the Romanian citzens' right to share in the nation's economic assets and the need for the state to derive revenue from the privatisation process. Compared with other Central and East European states, like Poland, the Czech Republic or Hungary, in Romanian this process has been slower given the political factors' indecision and the difficult legacy in terms of the people's mentality received from the totalitarian regime. This places Romania much behind other countries in the region, worsening difficulties in the economy. They were distribuited only to those Romanian citizens who had no used their vouchers before the date when the coupons started to be distribuited, namely August 1995. The current legislation allows the purchase of a part or of all the shares of a company by a Romanian or foreign natural or legal person.