ForMin Melescanu assures EU's Brexit chief negotiator of Romania's support for negotiation team

Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu on Tuesday had a meeting with EU's chief negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier, while on a visit to Bucharest, on which occasion the Romanian diplomat assured him that the negotiating team enjoys Romania's confidence and support. 

According to a Romanian Foreign Ministry release, Barnier made a presentation on the stage of negotiations for Brexit and the prospects for their future. The European official noted the very good collaboration between the structure he is leading and Romania. 

In his turn, Melescanu assured Barnier that the negotiating team enjoys Romania's confidence and support, especially in the context in which Romania will take over in the first semester of 2019 the Presidency of the Council of the EU. 

Melescanu underscored it is essential for the common interests to agree on a Brexit agreement allowing an orderly and predictable exit of the UK from the EU. 

Moreover, the Romanian chief diplomat conveyed that Romania believes necessary to maintain the unity of the 27 member states in respect to the principles and guidelines agreed inside the EU for negotiations. 

Melescanu also noted Romania's special interest in the status of the EU citizens living in the UK after Brexit, as there is a significant Romanian community in the UK as well. He appreciated the progress made by the negotiations, mostly in this chapter and stressed that Romania wants that all its citizens residents in the UK be able to go on living, working and studying in the same conditions as so far after Brexit. 

Melescanu said Romania wants to protect the integrity of the Single Market and the indivisibility of the four fundamental freedoms. At the same time, he underscored that it is important to maintain a close relationship between the EU and the UK, based on a balance between rights and obligations, after Brexit as well.