The Acting President of the Senate, Alina Gorghiu, is making a working visit to France, October 18 to 22, where she will meet her French counterpart, Gerard Larcher, to discuss Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area, informs a press release sent to Agerpres on Tuesday.

„The visit takes place against the background of the intensification of the bilateral dialogue, at all levels, in the framework offered by the Strategic Partnership between the two countries, as well as the solid cooperation at the European and international level. The acting president of the Senate will have a meeting with Gerard Larcher, the president of the French Senate. A priority topic on the agenda of the meeting will concern Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area and its responsible and effective involvement in protecting the external border of the European Union,” the source says.

The two senior officials will also discuss the evolution of the security situation in the region, the cooperation between Romania and France and the French contribution to strengthening the defence and deterrence posture on the Eastern Flank, in the context of President Emmanuel Macron’s recent decision to supplement the military presence within NATO in Romania.

The effects of the war started by the Russian Federation, the support given to Ukraine and the Ukrainian refugees, the assistance given by Romania to the Republic of Moldova to support the reforms necessary for European integration will also be discussed.

On the occasion of the visit to Paris, the Romanian acting president of the Senate will have bilateral meetings with Minister Delegate for Gender Equality, Diversity and Equal Opportunities Isabelle Rome and with the President of the Delegation for women’s rights and equal opportunities between women and men, Annick Billon.

„The consultations will focus on standards and mechanisms for ensuring gender equality, diversity and equal opportunities, but also on the promotion of women’s rights in the two countries and the prospects for cooperation at the bilateral and European level,” the statement also reads.

The discussions will also concern the assistance given to the Republic of Moldova, in the context of France hosting the next edition of the Moldova Support Platform.

The program of the visit to the French Republic will also include a meeting with the Chairman of the French-Romanian Parliamentary Friendship Group, Bernard Fournier. During the talks, topics of interest on the bilateral political agenda will be addressed, as well as the expansion of the dialogue at the parliamentary level.

Agerpres