Premier Dacian Ciolos and his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov agreed to send a joint letter to the Canadian authorities, calling for a visa waiver for Romanian and Bulgarian citizens, the Government informs.
Dacian Ciolos participated on Wednesday in Sofia in the Summit meeting of the South-East European Cooperation Process (SEECP); Foreign Minister Lazar Comanescu was also part of the Romanian delegation.
On the sidelines of the Sofia Summit, the Romanian Premier had bilateral meetings with his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borissov, with President of Bulgaria Rosen Plevneliev, and Republic of Moldova President Nicolae Timofti.
According to the quoted release, Romania and Bulgaria agreed on this occasion to send a joint letter to Canada calling for the visa-free travel of Romanian and Bulgarian nationals, who are European citizens as well.
“Certain commitments were made as part of the negotiations between the EU and Canada and we want them to be respected, and we agreed on several joint diplomatic steps,” said Dacian Ciolos.
Three weeks ago, PM Ciolos said that Romania will use all available tools after Canada breached its commitment on lifting the tourist visas for Romania and Bulgaria.
We have already completed negotiations with Canada and the moment they were completed, there was an agreement with Canada, and Canada also made a commitment on eliminating the tourist visas for Romania and Bulgaria, with the guarantee — if I recall well — that by the moment the deep and comprehensive and free trade treaty is ratified, this matter would be solved; and regretfully I find that we are not in the respective situation,” Ciolos answered a question during Eurosfat, a forum on European affairs.
The prime minister mentioned he exposed this matter to the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and with the European Commissioner for Trade Cecilia Malmstrom.
“I had a talk with President Juncker and with Commissioner Malmström, who is not directly responsible for the visa issue, because she is negotiating commercial treaties, but it was an understanding with Canada and, as prime minister of the government of a EU Member State, I consider that the European Union and the European Commission, representing the European Union, should be very firm in relation with Canada, so that our partners observe their commitments,” Ciolos stated.
The premier insisted that Romania would use all available to have this commitment observed.