Romania’s potential in extracting natural gas from its territory will improve its energy security, the Secretary General of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Mathias Cormann, said on Tuesday, in Bucharest, according to Agerpres.

He told the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy (RADR) that the Government should focus on structural policy reforms.

Romania’s potential in terms of natural gas extraction from its own territory will improve its energy security, considering that Romania is relatively exposed to imports from Russia, accounting for 30pct of the country’s gas consumption and a quarter of fuel imports, he said on the occasion, while adding that the Romanian government must also focus on structural policy reforms to create the basis for a strong and sustainable path.

Regarding the social situation in Romania, Cormann pointed out that there is a need to strengthen a social safety net and future efforts to reduce poverty.

In his opinion, Romania needs to expand its integrated social assistance services and increase their coverage and adequacy, as the country lays behind the majority of the OECD countries in terms of ensuring access to quality education, medical services, housing, transport, things that are important when it comes to reducing poverty, providing equal opportunities and stimulating social mobility.

Cormann appreciated that the Romanian economy has shown great resilience in the face of unprecedented shocks, but, like other economies in the world, it also important challenges.

In his turn, the national coordinator of Romania’s accession process to the OECD, Luca Niculescu, stated that this accession process is one of excellent collaboration between the OECD and the authorities.

The next important step for Romania would be the submission of an initial memorandum, according to the Romanian official, who explained that this is a document that includes a self-assessment of how the legislation, policies and practices in Romania align with the legal instruments of the OECD.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs organizes, from Tuesday to Thursday, the Annual Meeting of the Romanian Diplomacy, under the title „Romania’s diplomatic response to the changes in the geostrategic reality.”

Agerpres