PM Dancila: Romanian-Slovak trade exceed for first time, end-2018, the three-million-euro threshold

Prime Minister Viorica Dancila, on an official visit to the Slovak Republic, welcomed the fact that the Romanian-Slovak trade has exceeded for the first time the three-billion-euro threshold at the end of 2018. "We have revealed the existence of real prospects for expanding and deepening bilateral economic cooperation, which, as mentioned by the Prime Minister, has already reached a significant level. In context, I welcomed the fact that, at the end of 2018, the Romanian-Slovak trade has exceeded for the first time the three-billion-euro threshold. We have insisted on boosting sectoral cooperation. I have signalled the willingness of the Romanian side to extend cooperation or, as the case may be, to cooperate with the Slovak side in many areas, many of which have already been indicated by Mr. Prime Minister, I am referring to education, energy, culture, labor and social justice, domestic affairs, regional development and public administration, tourism, respectively environmental protection, health and agriculture," said Prime Minister Dancila. Viorica Dancila mentioned that within the framework of the bilateral discussions she invited her counterpart to pursue the dialogue in Bucharest and thanked for the "continued support" granted by the Slovak Republic to Romania's accession to the Schengen Area. Dancila has shown that the relations between the two countries are built on a "sustainable foundation, represented by historical and cultural affinities and convergent interests in the political, economic, military terms." The prime minister mentioned that during the discussions with her Slovak counterpart she supported the continuation and intensification of the dialogue, the coordination and cooperation on topics on the bilateral and European agenda. She also expressed Romania's "gratitude" for "the exemplary way in which the Slovak side honors the memory of the Romanian soldiers" who fought for the liberation of the Slovak territory during the Second World War. Peter Pellegrini welcomed the Romanian Prime Minister's visit to Banska Bystrica, showing that it is "an extraordinary day" for this city. "Madam Prime Minister came to us when we celebrate the liberation of our city and we are approaching the anniversary of the end of the Second World War and I want to remind you that Banska Bystrica was liberated by the Romanian soldiers who were a great help to the liberation. The Romanian army freed one third of our country and more than 10,000 Romanian soldiers are buried not far from Zvolen," the Slovak prime minister said. Peter Pellegrini added that the Slovaks keep "in their hearts" that Romania was the only country in the Warsaw Pact that did not take part in the invasion of Czechoslovakia. At the same time, he expressed the hope that bilateral and trade relations, currently "very good", will intensify. He also pointed out that Romania took over the presidency of the EU Council "in very difficult times" and congratulated the Romanian Government and the Romanian Presidency of the EU Council for having managed to close a large number of files that had been opened for a long time. Peter Pellegrini also expressed his support for Romania's accession to the OECD and the Schengen Area. "Slovakia supports Romania to become a member of the OECD. Slovakia has been a member for 20 years and we fully support Romania to join this organization. (...) Slovakia says very clearly and openly that Romania, which has technically fulfilled all the conditions be part of the Schengen area, that it belongs to it. And Slovakia openly states, at all levels, when it comes to it, that Romania's entry into the Schengen area is not only good for Romania but for the whole region and for the whole of the Union, if we are talking about defense of the external borders," the prime minister of the gov't of the Slovak Republic said.AGERPRES(RO - author: Irinela Visan, editor: Mihai Simionescu; EN - author: Simona Iacob, editor: Maria Voican)