Romania was and remains interested in promoting openness based on cooperation that would allow full capitalisation on the potential of the relationship with Hungary, Foreign Minister Luminita Odobescu said on Wednesday at a meeting with her Hungarian counterpart Peter Szijjarto.

The latter participated in a meeting of the Partnership for Transatlantic Energy and Climate Cooperation (P-TECC) hosted by Bucharest and co-organised by the Romanian Ministry of Energy.

According to the Romanian Foreign Ministry (MAE), the two ministers discussed the latest developments in and prospects for the Romanian-Hungarian bilateral dialogue, as well as European security issues. Odobescu underlined the desire to identify new opportunities for cooperation and development of joint projects in areas such as infrastructure, transport, energy, and home affairs.

Providing added substance to the bilateral strategic partnership, a fundamental element of bilateral cooperation, is being envisaged. The Romanian official mentioned the complex European context, marked by transition between two European electoral cycles, in which Hungary holds the Presidency of the Council of the European Union.

Odobescu reiterated the objective of completing Romania’s accession process to the Schengen area, recalling the positive results of lifting air and sea border controls in March 2024, and the Hungarian counterpart offered assurances regarding his country’s firm support for completing the process by having controls at land borders lifted as well.

At the same time, she highlighted the concerns regarding the security challenges generated by the Russian Federation’s aggression in Ukraine, as well as their implications in multiple other areas, presenting the consistent positions of the Romanian side.

Odobescu also reiterated the interest in advancing the process of enlarging the European Union to include both Eastern candidates, Ukraine and Moldova, as well as Western Balkan countries, and Turkey.

AGERPRES