#DiplomaticCentennial/Romania's Ambassador to Czech Republic Carmen Burlacu: Romanian-Czech relations excellent, will continue to be the same

The Romanian-Czech relations "are excellent nowadays, too, despite the several matters that have affected Europe - at least in the past hundred years - and I believe they will continue to be the same, regardless of the sensitive topics on the European agenda, that could be solved, always in the better way through dialogue and negotiations," says in an interview with AGERPRES, the ambassador of Romania to the Czech Republic Carmen Burlacu.

"The Romanian community in the Czech Republic is less numerous, yet augmenting and rather well integrated," the ambassador says, adding that "for the ones established there for good, the preoccupations they share with the embassy refer to the promotion of certain cooperation actions, most of which cultural and educational between the Czechs and the Romanians, mainly from the areas they originate from."

Carmen Burlacu also asserts that "the Czech Republic is an important economic partner of Romania, and the total amount of the bilateral exchanges is absolutely remarkable."

"On 31 December 2017 the said amount reached rd 4 billion Euros and considering that 2.2 billion Euros were recorded in the first half, I believe we shall exceed this record in 2018. The trade balance is almost equal, a bit favourable to the Czechs, perhaps thanks to the automotive industry. Also, in terms of the diversity of the exchanges, a balanced approach of all domains exists, from agriculture and food produce to IT&C and the energy sector," the Romanian ambassador in Prague says.

The interview carried out by e-mail is part of the editorial project titled #CentenarDiplomatic (#diplomaticcentennial) carried out by AGERPRES the long of the year, with an accent on the diplomatic ties in the context of the 100th anniversary of the Greater Union

AGERPRES: Ms. Ambassador, you represent Romania in the Czech Republic, which for many Romanians means Tatra, Skoda, beer, and perhaps the Spring of Prague, Havel or "the brave soldier Svejk". What values make Romania today known in the Czech Republic?

Carmen Burlacu: I believe Romania presents interest today as always through the beauty of its special spots, because many Czechs choose to hike the mountains or wish to go to the Black Sea coast. Some reputed brands still continue to be successful, such as Dacia (Duster in particular, lately), but also the Romanian wines. There still are many other fields of interest (classic: music, theatre, film, sport or newer: design and architecture, the IT sector, etc.), yet it depends on the interlocutors' concerns.

AGERPRES: The Czech Republic, traditionally belonging with the European industrialised countries, is currently among the first ten countries of origin of the foreign investors in Romania. What might the guidelines for further developing the bilateral cooperation potential be? And what are the issues the entrepreneurs are facing in this respect, from the interactions you've had with the business milieu?

Carmen Burlacu: The Czech Republic is an important economic partner of Romania, and the total volume of the bilateral exchanges is remarkable. At 31 December 2017 it parked at rd 4 bln Euros and given that in the first half of the year 2.2 bln Euros are already recorded, I think we shall exceed this record in 2018. The balance is equable, a bit favourable to the Czechs, perhaps because of their automotive industry. As a diversity of the exchanges, there is a balanced approach of all the fields, too, from agriculture and food products to IT&C and the energy sector. We, both as embassy and especially the representative of the Economic Cooperation and Promotion Bureau, are actively involved in particular in the promotion of the Romanian companies, the SME's to be more specific, in the Czech Republic. A significant matter could be that most of the multinationals have taken over a series of Czech companies and the decisions are made in another country, but in general no issues have been reported to us lately, from no direction whatsoever.

AGERPRES: The Czech Prime Minister, Andrej Babis, also a noted businessman, has recently told an interview with Reuters that the Schengen area should include Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania as soon as possible, and that the issues with the European free circulation area are more urgent than those of the Eurozone. How do you comment this stance, that is not expressed for the first time by a Czech official, and to what extent could it influence positively our getting nearer the Schengen area?

Carmen Burlacu: The Czech Republic has always advocated Romania and Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen area, and this stance is officially reasserted any time it is needed. Prime Minister Babis lately voiced himself more frequently on this topic in the context of the debates on the EU future and stressed - in his pragmatic way - on what has to be finalized in the present, before approaching another enlargement, the Eurozone's, for instance. Obviously, the support given at such level is useful and hopefully it will become palpable in our admission to the Schengen area as soon as possible.

AGERPRES: Five years ago, the then Foreign Affairs Minister of the Czech gov't, Karel Schwarzenberg, expressed the backing by Prague for our country's integration in the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. The accession to the OECD remains our country's priority goal. What is now the viewpoint of the Czech Republic?

Carmen Burlacu: Once again, I think we could rely on the Czech Republic's support for Romania's accession to the OECD, too, even if the accession process in a global organization is a bit more complicated.

AGERPRES: Romania will hold the half-year rotating Presidency of the European Union, in the first semester of 2019, in a period when key-events are scheduled, such as Brexit and the election for the European Parliament, both influenced by the migration matter. In this context, could the Romanian-Czech relations be affected by the viewpoint of the Czech Prime Minister who, immediately after taking over his position, said that the fight against illegal migration will be one of the main goals of his gov't??

Carmen Burlacu: The migration matter is a particularly delicate issue on the European agenda and I'm afraid it will stay topical in 2019 as well, given the various drives of the European politicians. The Czech Republic from the very beginning said in favour of aiding the migrants in their countries of origin and does not agree with discussing certain common (European) policies in terms of imposing some mandatory quotas to the Member States. This position is massively backed by the Czech citizens, who are truly preoccupied with the attitude of other Member States or Brussels officials who show more interest in managing the effects of the crisis instead of treating the causes of this phenomenon. The Romanian-Czech relations are excellent currently, too, despite the several problems that have affected Europe - at least in the past 100 years - and I believe they will go on like this, regardless of the sensitive topics on the European agenda, that can be solved, always for the better, through dialogue and negotiations.

AGERPRES: On the other hand, Romania - alongside the Czech Republic - participates in projects of certain structures that are sustaining the boosting of the regional cooperation in political, cultural, and especially economic level, such as the V4 or the Three Seas Initiative, the summit of which will take place in September in Bucharest. What are Romania's and the Czech Republic's joint objectives in this cooperation?

Carmen Burlacu: From the same outlook - of the usefulness of dialogue - our countries are part of several narrow or open cooperation formulas, at a subregional level. Even if they don't have access to the sea, the Czech Republic has shown their interest for the I3M and will participate in the Bucharest Summit, with the same openness it has promoted the invitation of Romania and that of other countries to the V4+ reunions. The common objectives stay the essential ones: the security and prosperity of our citizens, to which many other concrete, stage objectives might be added that could contribute to finalizing these desiderata.

AGERPRES: The Czech Republic was one of the states that have announced after the USA, that they would move their embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. What reverberation did this viewpoint have in the country's domestic policy?

Carmen Burlacu: President Milos Zeman is an old, very good friend of the State of Israel and he supported this move way back in time, so in the Czech Republic, the statement has not had the same echo as it had in other countries. A final decision was not yet made, in Prague talks are being held, in particular at the decision-makers' level, especially because it is very important for any decision to be announced at the opportune moment to be as much as possible in support of the peace process.

AGERPRES: Tell us, please, what are the concerns and possible problems the Romanian community in the Czech Republic is facing.

Carmen Burlacu: The Romanian community in the Czech Republic is less numerous, yet it is increasing and rather well integrated. For the ones who are permanent residents here, the preoccupations they share with the embassy point to the promotion of certain cooperation actions, many of which cultural and educational between the Czechs and the Romanians, mainly in the areas they originate from. An interesting phenomenon is that unlike the older members of the community, coming from areas that used to have a connection with former Czechoslovakia or with the Slavic origin minorities of Romania, those who have lately chosen to stay in the Czech Republic are coming through the multinational companies.

AGERPRES: 2018 is a triple anniversary year: 100 years since the Greater Union of 1918, 50 years since the Spring of Prague, and 25 years of relationship between Romania and the Czech Republic as a sovereign, independent state. How are these events seen from Prague?

Carmen Burlacu: Interesting! 2018 is indeed a special anniversary year for the Czech Republic as well, for it celebrates the 25 years of independence - in its current state shape - and the centennial of Czechoslovakia, naturally together with Slovakia, alongside a more sad memory event, as it is the one of 1968. I have to say that they never forget to mention Romania, the country that never aligned in 1968 with the other Warsaw Pact states. I have to confess I was impressed with the fact that I have received messages at the embassy from simple citizens who wrote to us or phoned us on 21 August to thank us for Romania's attitude at that moment. I believe that such moments also show, like I said before, the excellent state of the Romanian-Czech ties beyond any momentary turn of events.AGERPRES(RO - author: Mihaela Toth, editor Ionut Mares; EN - author: Maria Voican, editor: Simona Iacob)