Iohannis, on unblocking EU budget, economic recovery package: Romania ready to use these funds

President Klaus Iohannis said on Twitter on Thursday evening about the unblocking of the future budget of the European Union and the economic recovery package after the COVID-19 pandemic, that "Romania is ready to use these funds to reforms and investments in key sectors". "Important agreement today by unblocking the future budget of the European Union and the economic recovery package. Romania is ready to use these funds for reforms and investments in key sectors, for the benefit of all Romanians," the head of state wrote on Twitter. President Klaus Iohannis is attending the European Council meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday. The EU leaders, gathered at a summit, on Thursday adopted a compromise on the rule of law that would allow the lifting of Hungarian and Polish vetoes on the budget and unblocking the post-COVID recovery plan, European Council's President Charles Michel told AFP. The EU budget 2021-2027 (1.074 billion euros) and the post-COVID relaunch plan (750 billion euros) were adopted in July, but were blocked by Budapest and Warsaw to oppose a mechanism that conditioned access to European funds on observance of rule of law. The new European conditionality mechanism, adopted by qualified majority following an agreement between the European Parliament and the German presidency of the EU Council, allowed the suspension of European funds in the case of a member state when the European Commission considers that it violates the rule of law, if the member countries approve by qualified majority this measure against that country. Accusing that this mechanism does not have clear criteria and can be used as an arbitrary political instrument to sanction countries that promote disagreeable policies in Brussels, the Polish and Hungarian governments vetoed on November 16 the EU's multiannual budget for 2021-2027 (1,074 billion euros) and the "Next Generation" plan, which is based on a 750-billion-euro fund from which member states will access loans and grants. AGERPRES (RO - author: Marius Fratila, editor: Antonia Nita; EN - author: Bogdan Gabaroi; editor: Adina Panaitescu)