Ambassador Alfredo M. Durante Mangoni underscored on Tuesday that Italy supports Romania in order for it to achieve the strategic objectives such as the accession to the Schengen Area or the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), write Agerpres.
„We are collaborating with Romania in order to achieve its strategic objective, whether it’s the accession to the Schengen Area or the accession to the OECD. Our common commitment toward the topics included on the agenda at global level makes us valuable partners, especially in an international context marked by Russia’s aggression war in Ukraine,” Alfredo M. Durante Mangoni said at the reception organized by Italy’s Embassy in Bucharest, on the occasion of the National Day of the Italian Republic.
The ambassador underscored that over 23,000 companies with Italian capital are present in sectors such as nuclear and renewable energy, infrastructure. agriculture, manufacturing industry, precision mechanics or health.
„The economic relations between Italy and Romania are solid and balanced. We are the second supplier and client of Romania. The trade interchange is continuously growing. It gets close to 20 billion EUR. Italy is one of the main investors, confirming how integrated and complementary the two production systems are, and is the main investor in terms of the number of registered companies,” he said.
The diplomat thanked the Romanian authorities for the solidarity they have proven in the context of floods which affected the Emilia Romagna province. Furthermore, he mentioned that the cultural exchanges between the two countries are of „inestimable value”, forming „a common heritage” of art, music and literature.
Alfredo M. Durante Mangoni underscored the desire of the Italian Government to count on Romania’s support in its candidacy to host the Universal Expo 2023 Exhibition in Rome. Italy intends to dedicate this event to urban regeneration and inclusion.
Furthermore, he appreciated Romania’s standpoint in defending the sovereignty and independence of Ukraine, adding that this country fights for the European values of democracy and freedom.
„We have intensified for some time the Italian presence in Romania, in order to strengthen NATO’s Eastern Flank, starting from the strategic Black Sea basin and in order to ensure the airspace security. Our armed forces are working shoulder to shoulder. Looking beyond the conflict, together we can contribute to the reconstruction of Ukraine, we can support the European path of Moldova and the Western Balkans, to build an European security system which can secure the future of our young people,” the diplomat said.
Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Marcel Ciolacu, ministers Virgil Popescu, Alexandru Rafila, Petre Daea, Lucian Romascanu, as well as other political leaders such as Dan Barna (the Save Romania Union- USR) and Robert Cazanciuc (the Social Democratic Party- PSD) attended the reception organized at Italy’s Embassy.
