Reactions to the informal summit

Politicians and the media react after the informal EU summit in Sibiu

Roxana Vasile, 10.05.2019, 13:46

The local and international echoes
of Thursday’s informal summit in Sibiu are numerous and hard to summarize.
Briefly, however, and in an attempt not to fall into the trap of the campaign
for the upcoming European elections, at home, the supporters of president Klaus
Iohannis, who hosted the summit, were the most enthusiastic about the success
of the summit held in the Transylvanian city.

On behalf of the party he runs, the
Liberal leader Ludovic Orban welcomed the adoption of the Sibiu Declaration by
the EU leaders, saying it is a major moment that gives Romania a solid
perspective in the talks about the future European project. Orban noted the warmth
and enthusiasm with which the European officials were welcomed and how they
themselves responded to the citizens who came to greet them.

There is no doubt among EU officials
about the Romanians’ pro-European feelings and about their commitment to the
European values, Orban also said. Titus Corlatean, a member of the governing
Social Democratic Party and former foreign minister told Radio Romania that the
summit in Sibiu was very important for Romania, which is holding the rotating
presidency of the Council of the EU more than a decade after joining the bloc.

In Sibiu, Romania showed a beautiful
side, said Corlatean, and went on to note the substantial and decisive but
little praised contribution of the Romanian government to the preparation and
promotion of the summit. Beyond this beautiful picture, Corlatean said there
was little content, as the final declaration is a political document that
proclaims principles and values that have already been stated.

A picture of courage, commitment
to the European Union, the need for reform – are some of the ideas also
noted by the international media in the wake of the Sibiu summit. The EU
leaders gather in the picturesque Romanian city of Sibiu to renew their wedding
vows, writes the US news agency Bloomberg, quoted by Radio Romania’s Rador
news agency.

Now in its 62nd year, the
Union needs reforms, headlines the French publication Le Point, listing the priority areas: creating new jobs, protecting
citizens, a new energy policy, environmental protection and justice. France
Presse news agency notes that the summit in Sibiu was the first not to be
attended by the British Prime Minister Theresa May, while Brexit was not
discussed at all. Finally, The New York Times writes that the EU nations live
far beyond the Earth’s means, concluding that 2.8 planets would be needed if
everyone continues to consume at this rate.