INTERVIEW/Jagland: I am glad Romania did not go down the route of France and other European countries

In a recent interview to Agerpres, Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) Thorbjorn Jagland voices satisfaction over the fact that Romania has not taken the same route in the European elections as France and other countries did, setting a good example and showing that there is a culture in Romania of not going with the flow. Jagland argues that the explanation for this is the fact that Romania already experimented extreme political behaviour and does not want to repeat the experience. He also says there is more tolerance in this part of Europe for ethnic and religious diversity.

Jagland believes the election of Ukraine's President Petro Poroshenko in the first round of the presidential ballot send a clear message about what the Ukrainian people wants. He voices hope that Russia will get the message, given that Russian President Vladimir Putin has said he will respect the outcome of the election in Ukraine.

In the interview, Jagland also says that the new rule of law mechanism introduced by the European Commission goes in the right direction. Soon, he adds, Romania and Bulgaria, the only two EU countries subjected to a cooperation and verification mechanism, could be on a more equal footing with the other member states in regards to the monitoring of how they meet the obligations incumbent on them. He also talks for the first time about an intention to set up a Roma institute at European level that will build up a stronger identity of the Roma and develop trust in their own culture and history.

AGERPRES: Mr Secretary General, you had meetings with President Traian Basescu, Minister of Foreign Affairs Titus Corlatean and Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Valeriu Zgonea. What were the main topics of discussion...