Romanian – Italian relations reviewed in Rome

The Romanian and Italian foreign ministers Lazăr Comănescu and Paolo Gentiloni have praised the privileged relationship between Romania and Italy.

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Roxana Vasile, 23.11.2016, 13:36

Romania and Italy have privileged ties. Bilateral relations over the past two decades, especially after Romania’s NATO and EU accession, have been characterized by intense political dialogue and sustained economic, cultural and scientific cooperation, which have been supported by a Consolidated Strategic Partnership. The Romanian community in Italy, as well as the Italian community in Romania, have acted as solid bridges between the two countries, contributing to the excellent bilateral relations. These were some of the aspects highlighted in Rome on Tuesday by the Romanian and Italian foreign ministers.

The two officials also talked about the future bilateral cooperation, the future of Europe after Brexit, about migration, the situation in the Republic of Moldova after the recent presidential election and the relations with the Russian Federation. Italy and Romania are united by excellent economic and trade relations, and this is due to the great number of Italian companies, almost 25,000, that are operating on the Romanian market, said the Italian foreign minister. Italy considers Romania a very important market as well as a business platform for the area between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea. However, there is room for more in the two countries’ cooperation. That is why Lazăr Comănescu and Paolo Gentiloni have talked about future cooperation projects in various other economic fields.

According to the Romanian foreign minister, the Italians in Romania and the Romanians in Italy have acted as a catalyst for bilateral relations: “Ten years after Romania’s EU accession we can unhesitatingly say that the Romanians’ presence in Italy just as the Italians’ presence in Romania have contributed to the consolidation of bilateral ties. The Italian business community has had an important role in strengthening cooperation just as the Italian minority that has contributed to the development of cultural values and to the evolution of the Romanian society in general”.

Romania and Italy are equally interested in cooperating on European issues, namely in adopting a common stand on the way in which Great Britain is going to leave the EU and in keeping the EU accession path open for the countries in the Western Balkans.

Minister Lazăr Comănescu thanked his Italian counterpart for the support Italy granted to Romania in its Schengen accession effort: “Given the current context, we can notice that the talks about migration revolve around the importance of consolidating the EU’s external borders. I can say that Romania has already brought its substantial contribution in this regard, and I’m sure that its Schengen accession will contribute even more to the consolidation of the Union’s external borders.”

Referring to the issue of migration, the Romanian foreign minister expressed Romania’s solidarity with the European states most affected by this phenomenon, Italy included.

(Translated by Lacramioara Simion)