Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu’s visit to Brussels

by Nine O’Clock – the first exclusively daily publication to appear in English language in Romania, in 1991

Marcel Ciolacu: I participated in the meeting of social democratic leaders; most of them are about to attend the European Council. Naturally, the topics were about the Middle East, the conflict in Ukraine, but also the measures taken at the European level and the effects of these conflicts on the European Union in particular, because both the economic effects of the conflict in Ukraine, but also the new economic and humanitarian effects of the conflict in the Middle East affect as many EU states as possible. There is also a discussion ahead of the Congress in Malaga, where certain decisions will be made.

Reporter: European socialists are backing Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area. What will be the conclusions?

Marcel Ciolacu: There is no exception. All European socialist leaders support the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen Area, the same as the European Commission, and the European Parliament. At this moment, I repeat, all the social democratic leaders, without exception, believe that Romania and Bulgaria are entitled to be part of the Schengen Area.

Reporter: Will accession be on the agenda, in December, at the Council?

Marcel Ciolacu: I had a discussion with the Prime Minister of Spain, Pedro Sánchez, before the meeting, and a short discussion as he was leaving for the Council. Next, in Malaga, we will detail this issue and I hope that the new government in Spain will be formed by then. Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area is on the agenda of the Spanish Presidency

Reporter: About today’s meetings within the Commission, with Ms. Vălean and the others.

Marcel Ciolacu: I discussed with Commissioner Gentiloni, the European Commissioner for Economy. We had, normally and in detail, a discussion on Romania’s budget deficit and the measures taken, but also everything we still have on payment request number 4. Payment request number 3 is 99% overdue, like everything else we had on REPowerEU as well as the renegotiation. I highlighted the fact that I very much want the general pensions law to be completed by the end of the year so that it is a milestone fulfilled in advance from payment request number 4, but with a very clear foundation in terms of next year’s budget construction. It has entered, at this moment, a downward trend. They were also surprised that no measure was taken for a very long period, but it is good that these measures have effects, some from November 1, others from January 1, and we hope that, together with combating evasion, and the budget system reform, they are enough for this downward trend in which Romania entered, at this moment, in terms of the deficit.

Reporter: You mentioned the deficit. Today, the Ministry of Finance announced our deficit at nine months – 3.5. Are we at 5.5% by the end of the year?

Marcel Ciolacu: We are still trying to fall within 4.4% – this is the target assumed by Romania – but we also have this discussion, that it is possible to overcome this deficit. Under no circumstances will we have a deficit bigger than 6%. According to customs, it must be at least 0.5% lower than the previous year’s 6.2%.

Reporter: Mr. Prime Minister, you were talking about a maximum deficit of 5.7%. Now, for the first time, you are talking about a 6% deficit. What has changed?

Marcel Ciolacu: No, no, absolutely nothing has changed. I said very clearly that there won’t be a deficit over 6% and I told you, also very clearly, that we start from a rule in which you have to have a deficit already 0.5 lower than the previous year. You know very well, I think that more than likely, next week, the Minister of Finance, with the technical team and the technical team from MIPE will have another visit to us, to the Commission, for further details. Tomorrow, in the government meeting, we will adopt a new emergency ordinance on budget expenditure, both at the central and local levels. Our priority remains, very clearly, that there is no – and at this point if we take these measures, there is no risk in terms of blocking European funds. This is the biggest stake I have had since the beginning of the term and still have.

Reporter: When will you submit payment request number 3?

Marcel Ciolacu: Until November 1. It’s almost done. Minister Burduja was also in Brussels for two days. He still had some arrears from the former energy minister. We hope to finalize them. There is still a discussion on Milestone 206, the finance minister will have to close these discussions next week.

Reporter: Can Romania send more ammunition to Ukraine?

Marcel Ciolacu: There was a clear contribution and help regarding Ukraine, on Romania’s behalf. It was multi-dimensional. The biggest help we gave to Ukraine was the economic help and the transit help regarding grains from Ukraine, which will continue. As you well know, I also had a joint government meeting with Ukraine, in Kyiv, together with my colleagues, and we agreed exactly the procedure for the transit and eventual export of grains on Romanian territory, which is very limited by a licensing system, approved and accepted by the Commission as well. There will be help from Romania in the military area as well.

Reporter: Do you have any more details about the Romanians who are in the Gaza Strip? Have things changed, what do you know from /…/?

Marcel Ciolacu: There is a permanent contact, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ crisis cell and we are trying, just like the other states – it was one of the discussions we had, there are over 3000 foreign citizens with dual citizenship in the Gaza Strip. You have seen that this humanitarian corridor is being tried, so that the population is directed to the south of the Gaza Strip, to be protected as much as possible. We see that things did not enter into an accelerated dynamic, but into a negotiation zone, but let’s be fair: Hamas terrorists are using these people as human shields, as bargaining chips. You cannot negotiate with Hamas while they hold your people hostage. That is why Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez intervened here. We believe that negotiations should be conducted with the real representatives of the Palestinians, not with a terrorist group.

Reporter: Do you see a decline in the support for Ukraine from the EU, from other states?

Marcel Ciolacu: There is none. There is clear support from the entire European Commission regarding Ukraine at this moment. Thank you very much!

Source: www.gov.ro

www.gov.ro

www.gov.ro

www.gov.ro