Citu: France - an important economic partner; Romania is a place worth investing in

Romania is a place worth investing in, and France - an important economic partner for our country, Prime Minister Florin Citu told Wednesday's reception organized on the occasion of the National Day of France.

"This pandemic has put us in front of a reality - that no one is safe until we are all safe. The return to normalcy will mean and is closely linked to the economic recovery. Overcoming the pandemic through vaccination remains the best way to go for our economies and societies. France is an important economic partner for us, and Romania is a place worth investing in," Citu said at the French Embassy.

He thanked the medical staff in the two countries for their solidarity in saving lives.

"I appreciate the wish of Mrs. Ambassador [Laurence Auer] to mark today's celebration as a tribute to the medical and care staff who were at the forefront of the fight against COVID-19. I would also like to thank the medical staff in Romania and France, who acted in solidarity to save human lives. I also salute the contribution of Romanian doctors in France to this extraordinary joint effort," said the prime minister.

Florin Citu also reminded that the Romanian-French economic partnership includes national strategic sectors, from the automotive industry, to the aeronautical one or the energy field.

"We expect the resumption of economic growth, which will confirm the positive trend of recent years," the prime minister said, adding that this year's signals are optimistic.

Citu mentioned that in the first half of next year, France will take over the presidency of the EU Council. "It will be a crucial moment in restoring and restarting our societies and economies," he said. He pointed out that the pandemic highlighted the importance of coordination at European level in managing the coronavirus crisis faster and more efficiently.

Romania is ready to work in this direction and to support the future French presidency in order to obtain concrete benefits for all European citizens, including through the concretization of the Health Union, added the prime minister.