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Bucharest – Klaus Iohannis, the Romanian head of state, stated during a meeting with the heads of Romanian diplomatic missions and representations of the Romanian Cultural Institute that he steadfastly supports the enlargement of the European Union, and Romania continues to support Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova’s accession to the EU.
During the meeting held on the occasion of the annual conference of Romanian diplomats, the head of state explained that the European Union unites peoples and countries around common European values, to everyone’s advantage. Therefore, he believes that an “ambitious and predictable” enlargement plan must be developed for the Eastern European and Western Balkan countries wishing to join, based on their own merits.
The head of state emphasized that Romania has strongly supported the initiation of accession negotiations with Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova. He said that the bilateral cooperation with Moldova is closer than ever before, and he maintains a close relationship with Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky.
Regarding the country’s security and defense situation, Iohannis said: “We can declare without hesitation that Romania is currently enjoying the highest level of security and defense in our history.” He explained that NATO’s new strategic concept adopted in 2022 – at Romania’s proposal – attaches significant importance to the Black Sea from the perspective of Euro-Atlantic security. He reminded his audience that since 2015, the country has massively increased its defense budget, which reached 2.5% of GDP by 2024.
Klaus Iohannis also spoke about how Romania’s accession to the Schengen area in air and sea traffic was an important milestone, but he emphasized that eliminating checks at land border crossings remains a priority.
The head of state highlighted: the milestone achieved has reiterated that Romania effectively protects the external borders of the European Union and fully deserves full Schengen membership. “Eliminating checks at land border crossings remains a priority. I am convinced that our joint efforts will be successful, serving not only the Romanian citizens but also a prosperous Union free of artificial barriers,” Iohannis said.
He also emphasized that at the European level, Romania remains a balancing factor that consolidates integration and helps the Union become a strong player with significant global influence.
“We have consistently made efforts to enhance the Union’s cohesion, resilience, and solidarity,” the head of state added, recalling the 2019 EU summit in Sibiu, which he believes determined the Union’s building strategy for the 2019-2024 period. (July 24)
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At the annual conference of Romanian diplomacy, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu stated that Romania’s European objectives remain unchanged: Bucharest supports the enlargement of the EU, the strengthening of the single internal market, the preservation of the role of common cohesion and agricultural policies, the adoption of an EU Black Sea strategy, the consolidation of the EU’s defense and security, and “clearly” Romania’s full Schengen membership.
“At the same time, we are determined to contribute constructively to the European debates on the most important issues concerning the Union’s future. You have proactive and decisive diplomatic tasks to respond successfully to rapidly changing developments in Brussels and all capitals. Naturally, these efforts must be underpinned by the reflex of European coordination,” Ciolacu told diplomats. (July 24)
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