U.S. Ambassador to Romania Hans Klemm in Alba Iulia on Saturday evening said that Romania is on a positive track, having significant contributions to the international security, also voicing his appreciation for the fight against corruption.
From the U.S. perspective, we now see Romania on a positive track. It has significant contributions to the international security, to NATO (…). The U.S. and Romania share a very strong connection, the U.S. diplomat said.
Hans Klemm highlighted that Romania records a very strong growth, maybe the fastest economic growth in Europe at the moment.
He underscored that over the recent years Romania has led an enhanced fight against corruption, which makes it an example for other countries in the region.
Klemm also appreciated that there aren’t any extremist, nationalist parties in Romania, adding that Romania is thus on a positive track and voiced his hope that it will stay on this track and continue to be a valid partner to the U.S.
Ambassador Jan Gabor: Slovakia supports Romania’s presence in Schengen
Slovakia’s Ambassador Jan Gabor told a public conference carried out in Alba Iulia on Saturday evening that his country supports Romania’s and Bulgaria’s presence in the Schengen Area.
“Slovakia was to first country to have ratified Romania’s accession to the EU. We support Romania’s being part of the Schengen Area for several reasons. For us, the Slovaks, after we entered Schengen, it was the end of the Cold War, because after that our citizens were able to move freely. Therefore, being empathic, we would also like Romania and Bulgaria to join Schengen. Your country is worth it and it has fully met the technical criteria,” Jan Gabor said, according to Agerpres.
The diplomat underscored that Slovakia will do everything in its power in this respect, including in the Summit in Bratislava, however he pointed out that this is not only up to his country. “In the EU there is a concert of 28 countries and consensus must be reached among us. The voice in Bratislava says Yes,” Gabor concluded.
In his turn, Romania’s Ambassador to the U.S. George Maior said that Romania’s not having been included in Schengen was a political mistake.
“Significant resources have been invested, including on European funds, there have been good evaluations from this point of view on Romania’s borders, even some that have highlighted an outstanding effort on Romania’s behalf. I believe that Romania’s not having been included in Schengen was a political mistake,” George Maior said.
He mentioned that there are also voices who maintain that this would make up an advantage in the context of the migration crisis.
“To be a state with responsibilities also inside the EU, as we want and are supposed to be, we believe we must keep this goal and say, show that we have the force and arguments that we deserve to be in Schengen. I believe Europe would have to win in this crisis context if Romania became a Schengen member,” Ambassador George Maior pointed out.
Ambassadors Jan Gabor and George Maior participated in Alba Iulia in a joint conference with U.S. Ambassador to Romania Hans Klemm and the head of the European Commission Representation in Bucharest, Angela Cristea.
