ECONOMIC VALENCES OF THE NATIONAL INTEREST IN THE CONTEXT OF FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS’ INFLOWS

In the context of globalization and the tightening of relationships among countries, we consider to be important an analysis of the national interest of an economy. The national interest is a complex concept consisting of many interests that occur at several levels, converging towards assuring security, freedom, justice and welfare. The state is the main defender of the national interest. The national interest has as objective the definition of the national development priorities in order to ensure the survival and the prosperity of the country concerned, by following a trend of sustainable development and it is based on several factors, including foreign direct investments. These are a necessity for the development of an economy, especially when national savings do not meet the needs of capital for investments. But in order to serve the national interest, foreign direct investments have to be channeled towards the areas of national interest. After the national interest is defined, there are presented the characteristics of the economic national interest and the ways through which foreign direct investments can support the achievement of the economic interest of an economy. Then, the article highlights a few of the areas toward which foreign direct investments should be directed in Romania in order to sustain the sustainable development of our country.