At a meeting on Thursday with the EU diplomatic corps in Bucharest, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca reiterated that Romania’s accession to the Schengen area remains a priority, adding that the political and diplomatic action will be continued on all channels in order to identify concrete solutions for successfully achieving the accession objective, according to Agerpres.

According to a government statement, at the meeting hosted by the Swedish Embassy in Bucharest, in the context of Sweden’s holding the rotating Presidency of the EU Council, Ciuca presented the developments of the last 12 months, also emphasising the context created by the Russian war in Ukraine.

„The head of the government emphasised the economic developments in Romania, highlighting the role played by the high rate of investment and the absorption of European funds in maintaining an economic growth of 4.8% in a complicated context generated by the war in the neighbourhood, the increase in energy prices, a slow rebound in the value chains disrupted during the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, the prime minister emphasised the importance of the quality of Romania’s investment climate and the positive impact of the implemented reforms, including those related to the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). He appreciated the presence of European investment, encouraging its growth and careful consideration of the opportunities offered by Romania,” the statement reads.

Ciuca added that the objective of Romania’s accession to Schengen area remains a priority.

„He indicated that political and diplomatic action will be continued on all channels in order to identify concrete solutions for the successful completion of Romania’s accession to Schengen. He thanked for the support of the European institutions and the vast majority of EU member states that voted in favour of the extension of Schengen area to include Romania,” the Government informs.

The prime minister also presented measures taken by Romania in support of Moldova and Ukraine.

„He emphasised the importance of strengthening NATO’s eastern flank and reiterated his belief that the actual accession of Finland and Sweden to NATO will contribute to strengthening the security of the Alliance as a whole,” according to the government.

Agerpres