Iohannis, Nuland tackle Strategic Partnership extent, progress in Justice and fighting against corruption

Big Brother law, security corridor, also high on the agenda.

Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland met Romanian President Klaus Iohannis at Cotroceni Palace on Wednesday morning. Iohannis told Nuland he doesn’t know if her visit owes to him, but that he is glad she came, the U.S. official saying the visit “certainly is owing to him.”

“Romania’s wish to boost the Strategic Partnership with the USA by extending it not only on the military level, but also on an economic one was topping the agenda of the talks. The President hailed the American companies’ interest in this field and encouraged their presence on the Romanian market. To that effect, he underlined the need for legislative stability, predictability and transparency in the business environment”, reads a press release issued by the Presidential Administration.

“The two interlocutors highlighted the considerable progress obtained by Romania in reforming the justice system and in fighting against corruption. The political situation in the region was also reviewed. The President reaffirmed Romania’s steadfast commitments as NATO member, expressing the decision of allotting the necessary funds for a proper response to the alarming security evolutions in our region and in Europe,” the release also reads.

Victoria Nuland was welcomed at Cotroceni Palace by President Iohannis’ personal adviser, Mihai Razvan Ungureanu. The U.S. official congratulated Ungureanu for his new position and said she is glad that she returned to Bucharest.

The meeting of the U.S. official with the Romanian Prime Minister, Victor Ponta took place at Victoria Palace.

According to a Government’ press release, Victor Ponta presented Romania’s results in enhancing the justice reform and the fight against corruption, as well as the Government’s commitment in this respect.

The talks also tackled the ongoing bilateral projects within the Strategic Partnership, related to political, military, security, justice and economic fields, particularly the projects in the energetic and IT sectors.

The Romanian PM also discussed with the U.S. official on several governmental actions to enhance the economic dimension of the strategic Partnership, including boosting the American investments in Romania. They also tackled the evolutions in the Eastern neighborhood.

“I can convey the main messages of the meeting: we need to change the political culture in Romania, in the view of working and collaborating together. So, you need to stop following those who want scandal. The main message delivered by our partners is that we need to work together for Romania and for our position in the region. Collaboration and not the war and scandal is the one that firstly gives credibility to Romania and draws the investors’ trust,” Ponta told the ministers, at the beginning of the Gov’t weekly session.

Victoria Nuland had also a meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Bogdan Aurescu, the U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs inviting Aurescu to Washington. The Romanian FM reminded that fact that Romania is a strategic-key partner of the USA, while Victoria Nuland pointed the Romanian-U.S. collaboration in Afghanistan and in other theaters of operations.

Security corridor, Big Brother law, discussed with Romanian MPs

Laws pertaining to the personal data storage -the so-called Big Brother law- need to be amended so that the state should be protected and security provided, was Victoria Nuland’s message conveyed to Romanian politicians and the speakers of the two Chambers of Parliament. The meetings with the Romanian lawmakers also tackled the electoral Code and the political class’ reforming topics.

Senate Speaker, Calin Popescu Tariceanu said the need of an extra security corridor linking the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea, carried out by Romania and Poland was underlined during the talks with the U.S. assistant secretary. According to Tariceanu, the Big Brother law and the law on pre-paid phone cards were also “evoked”.

The Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the United States Department of State Victoria Nuland said, in an interview with Mediafax, things are getting better in Romania, but lots of issues lie ahead. Nuland said the political culture is getting better, while the business environment is improving, adding that corruption is still related to national security, not only to democracy and that she has had important talks with Romanian officials in this regard. She said now there’s a political restart moment for Romania as the ‘black Tuesday’ amnesty has been left aside. Business predictability has been on the talk’s agenda, the fiscal code mainly. We are pleased to be your partners, Nuland said. The Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs at the US Department of State said she believes in the President’s commitment and that the PM is proud of several decisions he had made and that the two officials are committed to work together.