ForMin Melescanu, Commissioner Oettinger discuss major European affairs for Romania's EU Council Presidency

Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu and European Commissioner for Budget Gunther Oettinger on Tuesday met to discuss the major issues on the European agenda that will be managed by Romania while holding the six-month rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with an emphasis on negotiations over the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021-2027. 

According to a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry (MAE), Melescanu on Tuesday welcomed Oettinger as part of the latter's visit to Romania to attended a high-level conference called "An inclusive cohesion policy for a Union closer to its citizens". 

Their talks focused on the major issues on the European agenda to be managed by Romania as the next holder of the EU Council Presidency in the first half of 2019, with emphasis on the negotiations over the Multi-annual Financial Framework 2021-2027. The importance of advancing these negotiations in terms of providing a positive political message on the future of the Union, as well as in terms of securing continuity in the fulfillment of European objectives and projects was underlined. 

Melescanu also said that Romania supports a balanced budget that equally meets the objectives of the European Union's traditional policies, as well as the new challenges which the European Union is confronted with. He highlighted the substantial role of the European budget in supporting the external action objectives in order to strengthen the role of the European Union as a global player. In this respect, he reiterated the strengthening of the security and defence dimension in order to achieve the European Union's external priorities. 

"The dialogue of the two officials also addressed current affairs issues from the sphere of external relations that Romania has included on its agenda as the future holder of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, such as the Western Balkans, Eastern Neighborhood, macro-regional strategies, strengthening ties between NATO and the European Union. Melescanu stressed that Romania fully understands the importance of strengthening co-operation with Africa not only in terms of current migration challenges, but also with a view to developing a more comprehensive EU-Africa partnership targeting development goals," according to MAE.