PM Viorica Dancila has met her Israeli counterpart, Benjamin Netanyahu in Varna, Bulgaria on Friday.
According to the Romanian Government, the two prime ministers had discussed about the Romania-Israel partnership on new technologies and also about the current international situation.
The two officials have talked about deepening bilateral relations in such fields as strategic cooperation, cyber and energy security, medicine, research and innovation”, reads a Gov’t press release.
“The Israeli premier has voiced support for Romania’s Government and reiterated the interest to pay a visit to Romania, discussing about the re-scheduling of the joint sitting of the two governments. At the same time, the two officials agreed that, before the joint sitting, an economic forum should be held with a special section dedicated to the business to business contacts. The head of the Romanian government presented her Israeli counterpart the legislative amendments on the public private partnership,” reads the press release.
The two prime ministers have also mentioned that negotiations are advanced on closing the Romania-Israel partnership in the new technologies fields, which “will stimulate the common interest of the business communities in the two countries”. At the same time, the talks also focused on the boosting ties in sectors like healthcare, tourism and education.
Earlier in the morning, the mass media reported that one of the topics of discussion could be also the joint Romanian-Israeli government sitting, after it had been delayed twice.
“The joint sitting has not been delayed because of us. I understood there have been problems in Israel. We will reschedule the sitting. I think we will establish the joint government sitting at the meeting I have with Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday,” Dancila had said on Thursday.
The Israeli Embassy in Bucharest announced in early August that the joint government sitting Romania-Israel will take place at the beginning of November, with the delegation of ministers to be led by Netanyahu.
On the other hand, in an interview to a Romanian TV private broadcaster on Thursday, the Israeli PM Netanyahu stated that he is “certain” Romania will relocate its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, after the U.S does that.
Asked to comment about the opposite stance on this issue between the Romanian Gov’t and President Iohannis, Netanyahu said:
“I do not get involved in the policy of other states. We just ask them to accept things the way they are. Jerusalem has been the Jews’ capital since at least 350 years. I think the president admits what it is difficult, what it is obvious. Of course Jerusalem is the capital and the US embassy should be relocated to Jerusalem and I think the other states will follow this pattern. It will happen with Romania, and with other states. Not only that I am certain, but I know this thing-I am sure Romania will consider this situation and a decision will be taken, so that the embassy could be moved to Jerusalem.”
Before the meeting in Varna, PM Netanyahu also said that Israel wants to enhance relations with Romania, Bulgaria and Greece to promote the Israeli policies and to revise “the EU’s hypocrite and hostile attitude”, as Haaretz daily reported.