Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu is continuing today a two-day working visit to Germany, write Agerpres.

According to the official schedule, Ciolacu will meet local business leaders; deputy chair of the German Parliament Katrin Goring-Eckardt, and leaders of the main political parliamentary groups.

He is also scheduled to attend a working lunch with leaders of the defence industry.

On Tuesday, on the first day of his visit to Berlin, Ciolacu had talks with Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

„Germany supports Romania so that it becomes a full-fledged member of the Schengen area this year. Romania has already undertaken major efforts to join the Schengen area and these efforts must be appreciated.(… ) Germany fully supports Romania’s accession and we will clearly take this position again in the future with regard to the conditions to be met by Romania and Bulgaria as well. We talk with our skeptical friends and colleagues in Europe not only in official discussions, but also in semi-official settings. It is true that the Spanish Presidency of the European Council has suggested change to this process to revive it; I would not like to speculate, but, from my point of view, I think it is right for Romania to join the Schengen area,” Scholz told a joint news conference with Ciolacu.

Scholz also thanked Romania for its firm reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.