INTERVIEW Victor Negrescu: We want a solid transatlantic partnership, with a powerful European Union

Romania wants a solid transatlantic partnership, with a powerful European Union, Minister-delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu says in an interview to AGERPRES.

He maintains that the more Romanians get involved in what the presidency of the Council of the European Union means, the wider the consensus around this topic will be.

In the interview, the minister speaks of the mediator role Romania must assume in the first semester of 2019, as well as of the possibility of Romania being "a bridge" between the European Union and the United States of America.

"I believe that the European Union and the United States aren't in competition. They aren't in competition not only in terms of decisions made on a national level, there isn't a competition on a sentimental level between the two either," Negrescu said.

Moreover, Negrescu discusses the resources allotted to the preparation of the Romanian presidency of the Council of the European Union, the negotiations on Brexit, as well as the topic regarding Romania's accession to the Schengen area.

AGERPRES: There are a few months until Romania takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union. Concretely, which is the evolution of the human resources, what details can you give us regarding this event? What are the short-term prospects?

Victor Negrescu: We have almost seven months until the takeover of the presidency of the Council of the European Union, practically one semester to complete this preparation process. Even more so, starting July we'll take over the shadow presidency of the Council of the European Union, during the Austrian presidency term, and we are prepared for this moment. What does it mean? It means a very significant number of our representatives have already been sent to Brussels, a part of them are being trained to go there in the coming period and to exert this role, in Brussels, while in Romania there have already been concluded several training sessions, precisely to increase the administrative capacity in the European Affairs area. In this context, we are obviously speaking, as we said in the past, of about 1,000 - 1,500 experts who are involved in this process. We are also talking about of a large number of recruitment contests that have been launched lately, including here, at the Foreign Ministry. We are in full swing with the recruitment process, exactly to bring high-quality human resource to our teams. We are positive that we currently have everything that means mechanisms and organisation effort that is initiated and already well organised to manage this presidency, seven months from now.

AGERPRES: How many persons are you talking about so far? You were saying that part of the ministry personnel is already in Brussels or is about to leave there. Can we talk about dispatches?

Victor Negrescu: Our representatives in Brussels come from the relevant ministries. The Finance Ministry, for instance, to manage the portfolios and activities corresponding to the area it manages is sending representatives to the representation. These persons are trained within the Finance Ministry and the Foreign Ministry, before going to their job at our representation to the European institutions. We are talking about approximately 100 persons who will go and supplement our team in Brussels, making out of our representation one of the most important representations to the European institutions in the history of presidencies of the Council of the European Union, because we wanted to have a high administrative capacity. Great part of the decisions are made in real time in Brussels, when the working groups are managed, and we wished to have, indeed, a consistent presence. However, with this consistent presence it doesn't mean that we, here in the Capital, don't manage things in real time. In this respect, we developed a series of technical and informational mechanisms, which allow us to be in permanent and direct contact with our representatives who will manage the working groups, to assist, guide and help them when they encounter difficulties or when they need our ideas and our advice to fulfill their activities which they are going to carry out during the presidency.

AGERPRES: At some point, you have spoken of the lack of experts on European Affairs in Romania, as they worked when our country joined the EU and now they are probably retired. How do you see the quality of experts from the perspective of the recruitments that are taking place or have recently taken place?

Victor Negrescu: There is high-quality human resource in Romania. Indeed, we notice the need to train them, to give them a series of practical skills, which, unfortunately, some of them don't have. That is why, in our training programmes we have experts from the Council of the European Union, experts of the European Commission, experts who have conducted activities during other presidencies who come to guide and give the necessary information for the proper management of Romania's presidency of the Council of the European Union. These training sessions, being extremely practical, extremely pragmatic, extremely concrete, help them improve what they will do in the future, be prepared for this moment and understand all the details, because, in the end, we will exert this role of impartial mediator. We will have to facilitate consensus regarding making decisions on a European level, actually persuade the member states to reach a compromise in what our common vision means. To do this, we need our experts to understand the meaning of procedures, negotiations, different visions among the member states, to truly understand all these mechanisms, as well as elements concerning culture, identity, but also different visions that might exist on a European level. We hope these training sessions, and I am positive this is happening, allow those less experienced to be capable to manage this presidency well, at the highest quality and standard levels.

AGERPRES: Romania will be a mediator, in 2019, in a unique situation in the history of the European Union - Brexit. You talked, in the EU, about the observance of the rights of the EU citizens, but not depending the social status. Practically, the rights of all EU citizens must be respected in the negotiations for Brexit, regardless of the status. What is the evolution of the negotiations from this point of view?

Victor Negrescu: Firstly, we wanted, during these negotiations on the UK leaving the European Union, to manage to reach an agreement. To us it is very important, indeed, that this exit process be done of an orderly, coordinated manner and in full agreement with the vision of the European Union and the British side, as well, aimed at providing at the end of the negotiations as wide as possible rights to the European citizens living in the UK and offering collaboration mechanisms in the commercial and economic areas as consistent as possible and to the benefit of all parties. At present, indeed, we have discussed a series of interest aspects for Romania and in particular regarding the rights of the European citizens, the rights of the Romanian citizens living in the UK. At this stage of the negotiations we see that for the Romanians who are already living in the UK, as well as for those who will go to the UK before the actual exit of the UK from the European Union, their rights, the rights of these citizens, are at least guaranteed through this form of the Withdrawal Agreement. But, in order to be fully secured we must reach a final agreement. Furthermore, we are discussing the future status of the European citizens. At this point, we have been very firm, stating we would want that the European citizens benefit from a protection form that is similar to that offered to European citizens who are already in the UK, so that we don't have additional barriers and make sure that in the end those who are part of the vulnerable groups are protected of a proper manner by the UK law-maker. And we haven't lost time in vain. During the talks with the British partners - direct discussions, on the sidelines of the Council meetings, as well as discussions with the British side representatives here, in Romania - we specified that we very carefully monitor the manner in which these persons will be treated in the process of acquiring the "settled statues," that of having a residence in the UK. Even more so, we offered the endorsement and support for our representatives - specialised in the domestic affairs area or right to labour or consular affairs - to assist them, to accompany them to get this status. Therefore, we are very present there and this autumn we'll go again to the UK to discuss these aspects and to make sure that the administrative procedures are understood and, especially, easy to cover by any European citizen living in the UK.

AGERPRES: You were talking about the fact that the UK could use its advantage regarding Defence to negotiate various Brexit aspects. Are there any developments in this sense?

Victor Negrescu: The UK currently represents an important supplier of security on a European level and this status is acknowledged by all member states and, especially, by the countries in Eastern Europe. This status doesn't disappear through Brexit. We still have a collaboration within NATO and very many mechanisms of collaboration on a bilateral level, as we even have a strategic partnership with the UK. I am positive that this effort of the British side of continuing to be a security supplier will not disappear after Brexit and it will be kept. We even want it to continue to have collaboration mechanisms in the defence and security area with the British partners, as much as the UK wants this. I am referring here to a partnership between the European Union and the UK partners. As far as I have noticed, there currently are the premises for such common ideas, some common stands and some common projects in regard to the security and defence area. The discussions are still going on. Obviously, this agreement has very many components. I am referring here to the economic components. We believe that each topic, each area represents a negotiation point, but it must be dealt with separately. Namely, today we are discussing security, then we discuss the single market, and we go further to the mechanisms that will allow us a broad interaction. So we aren't talking about different elements, but of a complementarity with very many particular elements for each area that is undergoing a negotiation process.

AGERPRES: Doesn't Romania have more challenges from this point of view, the negotiation in the defence context? Two percent of the GDP has already been earmarked for military acquisitions, and Romania has a role on the acquisition market in this area.

Victor Negrescu: I would not present it this way. Romania has assumed the responsibility of investing in national defence, but, in fact, [this is] the common defence policy inside NATO. By doing this, Romania becomes what was somewhat acknowledged on a European level - a regional security supplier. This process of improving our military capacities is not related to other aspects. The common defence policy is certainly discussed on a European level. Romania is strongly involved in this process and truly wants that the resources invested on a national level benefit, why not, from funds from the European Union, which, as you have seen, allots funds for a common defence policy and increases these allotments in the perspective of the future European budget. So, to do these things, besides the actual investment, we need national capacity, we need, in this respect, the national companies in the defence are to prosper and develop, we need new companies and new institutes of research to develop. I am convinced that those managing these things, my colleagues, and particularly the defence minister, are making significant efforts to ensure this capacity of Romania to be present in the common defence policy.

AGERPRES: You have spoken of Romania as regional security supplier and from this perspective you have repeatedly talked about our country's right to access the Schengen area. What are the developments on this topic? Is there a plausible target as well, especially during the mandate of the Romanian presidency of the EU Council ?

Victor Negrescu: In the first place, in this capacity of regional security supplier, Romania comes with an added value to everything that means the construction of the European Union and NATO. Romania is profiled as a credible partner for both institutions and, why not, a connecting bridge between two organisations that have many things in common, and, why not, maybe even a connecting bridge between the European Union, which we are part of and we are proud of this, and our strategic partner, the US. Starting from these premises, we believe that all these efforts, from a military point of view, from a security point of view, from the point of view of the foreign policy, are meant to guarantee this status which, as I told you, is evoked by our partners. It isn't a status we arrogate, it is the result of some efforts made for very many years and of a consensus, I might say, on a national level on what this medium and long-term vision of Romania means. Starting from these premises, Romania obviously wants to feel like a full-fledged partner in these organisations. In regards to NATO, our position has consolidated lately, in regards to the European Union, this is what we are doing. At least, over the past year, we intensified our presence in what the European process means, influencing important decisions, in the sense of our common interest. To be able to be here, in the European Union, as a partner with full rights, the affiliation to Schengen is definitely a priority. This effort to join Schengen isn't the effort of a single minister, it is a collective effort. And it should indeed be, and I am sure it is treated as such (...) be them representatives of the government, representatives of the Presidential Administration, Parliament representatives or civil society representatives - we should all support this process of our country joining the Schengen Area of a coherent and substantial manner. What does it mean? Evoking the fact that Romania has very well secured borders, that Romania is an example in respect to this public safety and citizen safety element, also evoked as a central pillar of our future presidency, mentioning the fact that our country has been among the first states to have introduced European regulations - the passenger transport register on a European level, which is an extraordinary thing, Romania is an example, other more developed states haven't been capable in the end to fully implement it, Romania has an advance in front of the European states - , starting from these premises we have continued dialogue with our European partners. Mrs Prime Minister, in each discussion carried out with our partners, has evoked this desideratum of Romania - that of joining the Schengen area. I have done it, in my turn, even on the occasion of the most recent trilateral meeting in the European Affairs ministers' format, Romania, France and Germany, which took place in Berlin. I evoked this need, for our country to access the Schengen area, as part of this desideratum of ours, of being a member with full rights. At present, the two-staged accession is being studied and the option has been mentioned. We notice from the side of some European partners that there is not reticence, there is a desire of legally checking if this is possible. In the coming weeks and months we expect a first result of this consultation process and as soon as we have it we shall probably be able to think this further, to intensify this effort of communication with our European partners. More than that, Romania has been a constructive factor of generating consensus in regards to the reform of the Schengen area. The Bulgarian presidency has managed this reform of a coherent and proactive manner, with our support. We wanted to conclude the negotiations during the Bulgarian presidency, it seems they will be extended. We hope to conclude this process as soon as possible, during the Austrian presidency, so that this element, which has represented a condition lately, be also finalised, and, we hope, the last barriers to our accession to Schengen disappear.

AGERPRES: Romania, together with Hungary and the Czech Republic, has recently blocked the European Commission's intention to make a statement on the status of Jerusalem. Of course, this regards the Foreign Minister's mandate, but you, in Brussels, have to deal with the results of this discussion. How is this thing perceived in Brussels?

Victor Negrescu: In the first place, as you have said, my colleague, Mr Minister Melescanu is in charge of the decisions related to foreign policy. There is a collaboration between MAE [the Foreign Affairs Ministry] and the European Union's External Action Service and a discussion which they are carrying with all the European partners when it comes to making a decision. I believe it's best that he and my colleagues evoke this thing. However, as a general rule, there are states that can have different positions. Romania has explained its position and, obviously, it is something that happens now and then when decisions are made on a European level. Decisions have been made in the past which Romania maybe didn't completely agree with or there have been states that opposed decisions proposed by Romania. Therefore, in this context, I believe Minister Melescanu can explain in more detail.

AGERPRES: You were saying earlier, during the interview, that Romania might be a bridge between the European Union and our strategic partner, the United States of America. In the light of this situation, regarding the status of Jerusalem, which is going on, if asked in Brussels if Romania was pro-European or pro-US, what would be your answer?

Victor Negrescu: Romania isn't in the position to choose. And I believe the European Union and the United States aren't in a competition. They aren't in competition not only in terms of the decisions made on a national level, there isn't a competition on a sentimental level between the two either. I am saying these things because, worldwide, the number of truly democratic states, sharing our common values, is a limited one. We believe we, these states with these democratic values, should work together even more in the coming period to make sure our values and the elements we are keen on - such as the human rights and everything related to the democratic principles - become once more, we can say, positive examples for the rest of the world. Therefore, in this context we want a solid transatlantic partnership, with a powerful European Union, proud of what it is, with a close connection, that has been going on for centuries, with the US, with Canada, to go in the same direction together. But, obviously, when there is such a close friendship, different visions might occur. The important thing is that at the end of the day we all stay together and keep the communication mechanisms. Today there are these communication mechanisms, even if sometimes there can be different visions.

AGERPRES: During the Romanian presidency of the EU Council the trends of the EU enlargement in the Western Balkans will also be discussed. There has been a summit on this topic. What is Romania's position? Romania will be a mediator, but, at the same time, it doesn't recognise Kosovo - the main topic in respect to the EU enlargement towards the Western Balkans.

Victor Negrescu: I would ask here, certainly, each Romanian if our national position is not to recognise Kosovo, what do the Romanians think. And here we'll notice, as the opinion polls show, that this national vision is shared by Romanians. As such, in this context, we, as promoters of Romania's foreign policy or European policy, must do what is found in Romanians' vision. Now, starting from these premises... Romania's president participated in the summit where Kosovo also participated, there has been a decision in this sense. But I believe we are talking about the Western Balkans in general and we are especially talking about the countries with an immediate accession prospect. I am referring here to Serbia and Montenegro which have made important steps, I am referring to Macedonia, which has conducted some significant reforms recently. So we are talking about these things. Speaking of the Western Balkans we can and must also speak increasingly more of the Eastern Partnership, which will celebrate 10 years since establishment as a collaboration and cooperation format next year. Evoking the Eastern Partnership, we will inevitably speak of the Republic of Moldova and the relation between the European Union and the Republic of Moldova. These regional experiences of ours and this capacity of interacting very well, peacefully and constructively with all the states in the region provide us with this possibility of playing the role of mediator, consensus generator. Generating consensus means to us the participation of all member states. In this sense, we notices that in the latest summit Spain only participated in the informal events and parts of the meeting, they didn't participate in the actual summit, on a prime minister level. In this context, precisely this regional experience of ours will allow us, in the future, we hope, to have all the member states gathered around the same table to make decisions in the common interest of European citizens.

AGERPRES: The year 2019, when Romania takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union, is also an electoral year - on a domestic and external level. There are elections to the European Parliament as well as presidential elections. How plausible is there a balanced environment for the Council presidency?

Victor Negrescu: I believe it is up to the political players to decide this, in which manner it can be understood that this presidency represents a highly technical exercise and a responsibility that goes to each member state. Romania has this possibility and this opportunity, that of holding the presidency in the beginning of 2019. We must prove we are capable to manage this presidency with very much professionalism, with very much attention, being impartial mediators, concluding the pending files on the European agenda, preparing the European elections properly, organising a summit on Europe's future and, mostly, being capable, why not, to think those policies, together with our European partners, that bring welfare in the daily life of citizens, as the format we established on our presidency's identity says. So far, in the European Affairs area, we have managed to create a constructive climate. For instance, a few days ago, I was in Romania's Parliament, in front of the three committees in charge of the presidency area - the Special Committee on the Preparation of the Parliamentary Dimension of the Presidency and the two Foreign Affairs committees of the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. On this occasion, I presented our interest topics and our vision for our future presidency and we found that everything we have done over the past year - the public consultations, the dialogue with the political parties, the dialogues with the social players, nationwide events have brought up the sought result. The attending formations, all from the parliamentary arch, have unequivocally supported the importance of this presidency and have admitted that our topics have taken over all points of view. Therefore, there is a broad consensus on the interest topics, a consensus illustrating once more that in the European Affairs area we can work together, through a sustained dialogue and an effort we have made over the past 12 months, that of listening to each one, explaining when certain points can raise some reservations and, especially, being very constructive and very focused on the role we'll be holding next year.

AGERPRES: The Sibiu summit, the post-Brexit summit, will take place towards the end of the Romanian presidency, to decide how the European Union without the UK will look like. Can you give us some details on the event?

Victor Negrescu: Firstly, I would rectify how it's called. I would call it the summit on the future of Europe, the future of the European Union, our common future. This summit is profiled as a positive, constructive event for our common agenda on a European level. And, we hope, that together with our European partners, who proved very much responsibility, we construct a declaration that will remain in the coming years in the European discussions as a landmark of consensual construction of this common future. Romania's government is in charge of organising all these meetings. For this summit, Romania and Romania's government have made and are making significant efforts. We have currently set almost all organisation aspects. I am referring here to the venue of the actual meeting, to the press presence, to other logistics details, some of which can be public today and others not. We have already been working for a few months with the local and county authorities and the prefecture. Everyone is involved in this process, because we want the summit to be a successful one for Romania and this is what we'll seek to do in this preparation process.

AGERPRES: One of Romania's challenges as mediator within the Council presidency is the establishment of the multiannual budget, which will be established in the Brexit context. How do you manage this challenge?

Victor Negrescu: In the first place, Romania has prepared for this moment of the discussions on the future European budget. We have initiated the working groups on a technical level. We have a coordination mechanism on an institutional level, chaired by Mrs prime minister, we have carried out talks with Romania's Parliament representatives, with representatives of the Presidential Administration, to make sure that when we go to Brussels we speak of the same manner and present ourselves with a common vision, a vision that must take into account both our national interests and the future role of mediator which we shall exert during the presidency. If we are to refer to the national aspect, Romania truly supports, very clearly, very precisely a significant allotment to traditional policies. I am referring here to the cohesion policy and the common agricultural policy, which, in our opinion, generates added vale for all European citizens. One euro invested in cohesion generates 2.73 euro in our common economy. Any resource earmarked for a young farmer generates acquisitions in agricultural technology, which is produced in the entire European space. Consequently, this added values exists, it is very important and must be detailed as much as possible. However, we admit there are also common challenges we must respond to, including in terms of budget. I am referring here to the common defence policy, to the digitisation of Europe, to training European citizens and Romanian citizens, in particular, challenges that must really be equipped with the proper budget resources. That is why, Romania, as much as the allotment for the cohesion and common agricultural projects is still a significant one, has declared its availability to contribute more, as almost all member states have done, and has sought together with the partner states to also identify own resources that could add to the budget.

The vision presented by the European Commission is an interesting one because in the end we see that we are talking about a budget comparable to the current budget, so basically no resources are lost, moreover, the budget of the European Development Fund, which was separate from the common budget, has been integrated into the European budget, which, if we are talking in nominal terms, would mean that, in fact, the states aren't contributing more either, although they have committed in this regard. Therefore, we believe that now, we basically have the foundations of a very precise discussion on the future European budget. We await the sectoral proposals which the European Commission is to launch in the next period, in order to discuss very punctual and precise about each individual policy. Because, beyond the amounts, the details are also important. For instance, the simplification of the process of accessing European funds, a less burdensome co-funding for the beneficiaries. Here I have remarked several elements which, perhaps, aren't in this logic, an adequate pre-funding and other components of this kind, which, in fact, will make the European money reach the true beneficiaries, the citizens and local authorities. This is what we would like to happen in these negotiations and, as I have stated, Romania is very strongly involved in this process, both here, in the Capital and in Brussels.

AGERPRES: If you were to draw up a list of priorities, what are the major things which Romania should handle first in view of taking over the Presidency of the Council?

Victor Negrescu: Firstly, a consistent effort in terms of logistics implies the fulfillment of all administrative operations for preparing this moment - starting with job descriptions for each of our colleagues up to everything that means making public procurements operational and all these elements in a most transparent manner as possible. And this thing is important. A second demarche regards the promotion, both nationwide and at European level, of all of our topics of interest, because the goal is not just to present them for six months, but to make sure that they are embraced prior and subsequently by the future presidencies. A thing that we have already been doing. Romania has presented in Brussels its first contribution for the common programme of our trio, together with Finland and Croatia, it will come up this summer with a final version and we have noticed that there is much availability on behalf of the Secretariat General of the Council in respect to the topics that we have advanced in this logic. Therefore, we are active. In the second part we want to be more present in Brussels, but in order to do these things we have a third extremely important element - informing the citizen, meaning explaining Romanians what this presidency means, what our role at European level means, what are our objectives - and we are organising debates around the country. And the fact that on 9 May, on Europe's Day, we have launched consultations with the citizens and the manner in which they have been organised truly reveals a new dynamics of consultations. We won't come before the citizens just to present them who we are and what we want to do at a European level, but we will seek to consult them. On the occasion of the citizen consultations we have gathered many interesting ideas and we have closely listened to the Romanians who were present, especially the young people who attended these debates. They evoked a series of extremely important topics regarding the future of Europe - they underscored the importance of safety, of rights and freedoms at European level, and yet again, they identified the European budget as an extremely important file during our presidency, thus, the matters which, ultimately, will define our action at European level. We need Romanians to participate in this process, the Romanians around the country, as well as those from the Diaspora, in order to give it a bigger dynamic and make this presidency a successful one.

AGERPRES: The unity of our people has always been a topic brought in discussion. In these citizen consultations have you noticed that Romanians are, somehow, united around a topic or the discourse is disparate?

Victor Negrescu: I noticed that there is a consensus at the Romanian society level over some important topics and this thing has been transposed in our topics of interest, whether we are talking about the economic and social part, through the Europe of convergence, whether we are talking about security, through Europe's security transposed as the second pillar in our topics of interest, or whether we are talking about the design of Europe on a global scale or whether we are talking about our shared values. All these elements have been picked up from these debates and discussions that have been carried out with Romanians. At the level of society, there is a wide consensus over what interests us and, obviously, a wide consensus around the central elements - the citizens should be the direct beneficiary of our common construction at European level, the European policies should be found in everyday life, in a positive sense of every citizen and, above all, a consensus in terms of the need for cohesion at the level of the community bloc. That is why we believe that the more we get Romanians involved in what this presidency means, the more wide the consensus will be, and the support for our demarches will be even more wider.

AGERPRES: Bulgaria will soon end its presidency of the Council. Have you talked with the Bulgarian partners and, if you have, do you remember any useful advice of their experience?

Victor Negrescu: Firstly, ever since the beginning of the Bulgarian presidency we have a partnership, because we wanted to work together. We are two countries of Eastern Europe with common ideas, values and goals. In this regard, we have appreciated Bulgaria's efforts to organise this presidency, even on the occasion of the Summit (in Sofia - e.n) some of our colleagues went there and participated, alongside them, in the organisation of this summit - and I really need to thank them for the availability that they have proved. Moreover, we, as a country, have been extremely vocal regarding the common topics of interest. I am convinced that our Bulgarian partners will be just as vocal during the period of our presidency on the topics, as I have stated, which represent a common point in what our standpoints mean. Starting from this premises, I have remarked that the logistic details matter a lot and I have noticed, with some surprise, and, at the same time I hope that it does not happen in our case, the attention or the predisposition to criticize before actually taking part, which we could say that it is unfortunately a bit specific at the regional level. I hope we avoid these situations. This is why, for instance, we created a competition for the logo, in which we involved hundreds of youngsters and over 10,000 people voted, they put out a tender. For defining the motto, we involved the Romanian Academy. They got a number of experts involved and finally chose a motto which is written on the national Parliament building. We tried to develop a more participatory manner in defining every aspect of our presidency so that in the end, whatever happens, the Romanians feel they have been involved in this process.

AGERPRES: What is the motto?

Victor Negrescu: Cohesion, a common European value. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Ghita, editor: Cristina Tatu; EN - author: Adina Panaitescu, Rodica State, editor: Rodica State, Adina Panaitescu)