Bucharest is currently hosting the meeting of the Romanian diplomacy, an
event which has a special significance this year. On the one hand, Romania
celebrates the Great Union Centennial and, on the other, one of the main topics
on the agenda of talks is Bucharest’s first mandate at the helm of the Council
of the EU in the first half of 2019.
The annual meeting of the diplomacy is a
large platform of debate on a series of topics of major interest for Romania,
such as bilateral and strategic relations, which are national priorities,
alongside regional cooperation, the eastern neighbourhood and economic
diplomacy.
Attending the meeting of the heads of Romania’s diplomatic and
consular missions abroad, the Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Meleşcanu has stated
that Romania’s diplomacy should remain a fundamental binder of society. He has
recalled that the country’s modernization process was possible due to the
consensus reached by the whole political class on Romania’s main objectives, accession
to NATO and the EU, and he has underlined that Romania enjoys an
unprecedentedly high level of security and prosperity.
In another move, the
Romanian Foreign Minister has said that in November, Parliament will adopt the
main political objectives of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, underlining
that there is solidarity at the level of the political class in Romania with
respect to EU-related issues. He has given these assurances as there have been
voices which cast doubt on Romania’s mandate, against the backdrop of political
tensions in the country.
In a press conference given jointly with his German
counterpart Heiko Maas, the special guest of the Bucharest-meeting, Teodor
Meleşcanu has also said that Romania will hold this presidency under the
auspices of the idea of a more united, integrated and cohesive Europe. In turn,
the German official has voiced confidence that the Romanian presidency of the
EU Council will be an efficient one and underlined that Bucharest will enjoy
Berlin’s support during its term at the helm of the Council.
Heiko Maas has
also recalled what the main challenges of this mandate will be: Brexit, the multi-annual financial framework and migration-related issues. The German Foreign
Minister has also referred to the reform of the judiciary in Romania and
underlined that the right balance in the separation of state powers can be reached.
The German official has also said that compromise can be reached, and that
would in turn render society more united.