President of the Foreign Policy Committee in the Chamber of Deputies Biro Rozalia (the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania – UDMR) told a news conference on Thursday in Oradea that she started an online dialogue with her Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Merezhko regarding the Russian invasion, but also related to the laws of the national communities in Ukraine and the matter of the Bystroye Canal, according to Agerpres.

In respect to the Bystroye Canal, the UDMR Bihor MP believes that people should await the opinion and decision of specialist regarding the exact situation, however, urgent dialogue negotiations would be welcome so the conflict on this issue doesn’t escalate.

„Taking into account the geopolitical interest in the region, it’s normal and logical to have a partnership relation with Ukraine. This is why the dialogue is the path through which misunderstandings, tensions or other aspects must be discussed. The works that have been done there, in case they say that they are maintenance works, until we have proof to the contrary, we have to accept and stand by. Perhaps we should draw a conclusion from this, namely that the interests of our country must be a priority for us. Any action we take abroad must be based on the principle ‘Not against another, but for our interest, of Romania.’ And let’s take the possible steps as quickly as possible, in the sense that you have to sit down at the negotiation table when the tensions are still bearable. When the conflict escalates, one talks in parallel,” deputy Biro Rozalia stated.

She mentioned that she forwarded, on 17 February, a request to her Ukrainian counterpart in order to have a dialogue.

According to her, Oleksandr Merezhko accepted to carry out a permanent dialogue at parliamentary level and requested that Romania support the servicemen of Ukraine with weapons, but also that steps be taken to raise awareness in Romanian society and among Romania’s political leaders of the fact that the human losses suffered by Ukraine in this war amount to the dimensions of a genocide.

Deputy Biro Rozalia responded to her Ukrainian counterpart that the issue of the armament belongs to the Defence Committee, which is why at the next online meeting, in the second part of March, she will invite members of this committee, along with those from the Foreign Policy Committee.

She also underscored that the problem of the education in the languages of minorities in Ukraine is not „a secondary” problem.

Agerpres