PM Orban phone conversation with Chancellor Merkel;talks also aimed at situation of Romanian seasonal workers in Germany

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban had a phone conversation with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Wednesday, with the discussions aimed, among others, at the situation of Romanian seasonal workers in Germany. According to a release of the Executive, the two heads of Government evoked, on this occasion, the special relations, of a strategic nature, between Romania and Germany, and agreed to continue the joint efforts for their additional strengthening, mainly on the economic dimension. Also agreed was the importance of resuming and strengthening the high-level bilateral political dialogue, as soon as conditions allow. "In this context, Chancellor Merkel referred to the situation of the Romanian seasonal workers in Germany and voiced the constant concern of the Executive in Berlin and, her personal concern, for the observance and protection of the rights of Romanian citizens who work in Germany. The Federal Government promptly initiated the amendment of the internal legislative framework in order to provide them an enhanced degree of protection and to guarantee the rights of the Romanian employees. She also underscored, to the same purpose, the entire openness and availability for maintaining a tight contact, on all levels, between the authorities of the two states, following Labour Minister Violeta Alexandru's recent visit to Germany," the release shows. The quoted source mentions that Prime Minister Ludovic Orban commended his German counterpart for the efficient manner in which the Government led by Angela Merkel managed the crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. "Also welcomed were the proposals put forward by the European Commission, on 27 May, to create the Recovery Instrument - Next Generation EU, worth 750 billion euro, in order to support the economic recovery efforts at European level, as well as to revise the Multiannual Financial Framework for the 2021-2027 period," the Executive mentioned. Moreover, PM Orban wished success to his German counterpart in view of the Presidency of the Council of the EU takeover closing in on 1 July 2020, "at a difficult moment, extremely important for the consolidation of the European project." "In this context, he voiced Romania's support to advance the EU agenda and find common solution to the current challenges of healthcare, economic and social nature," the release showed. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Andreea Rotaru; EN - author: Rodica State, editor: Adina Panaitescu)