EU Council

Turkey has been and stays an important partner to Romania, both on political and economic ground, and this reality is also confirmed by the solid strategic partnership between the two countries, which is built on a close traditional friendship, Romania's ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, Gabriel Sopanda said in an interview with AGERPRES.

Romania's Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Tuesday had a meeting with European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans on a visit to Strasbourg where she underscored a need for close co-ordination between Romania and the European Commission during the Romanian presidency of the EU Council, expressing a wish fort the debate in the European Parliament on Wednesday to be reasoning-base

Minister-delegate for European Affairs Victor Negrescu met on Monday the participants in the second stage of the programme "Volunteers of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union," a programme that allows the selected ones to contribute their ideas and projects to the successful unfolding of this important moment to our country.

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said on Wednesday that after the talks with the Bucharest authorities, they agreed on a number of topics aimed at bilateral cooperation within the EU, but "not on all points, such as Schengen."

President Klaus Iohannis on Wednesday reiterated Romania's desire to join the Schengen area as soon as possible.

President Klaus Iohannis said on Tuesday that UK's withdrawing from the European Union will bring about a diminution in the EU budget, showing that the right solution would be "slightly increased" national allocations.

The head of state welcomed visiting Slovak Prime Minister Peter Pellegrini on Tuesday.

President Klaus Iohannis will be welcoming visiting Prime Minister of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace on Tuesday.

On a working visit to Spain, Romania's Prime Minister Viorica Dancila on Thursday was welcomed King Felipe VI to discuss political and economic relations between the two countries, Romanians living and working in Spain, and Romania's presidency of the EU Council.

Romania's Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu welcomed Ahmad Majdalani, member of the Palestine Liberation Organization Executive Committee, on Wednesday, to reconfirm Romania's support for the completion of the Middle East Peace Process.

The estimated budget for Romania's presidency of the Council of the EU is between 60 and 80 million euros, Daniel Gosea, general manager of the UPP UE unit in charge with preparing Romania for assuming the presidency, told a briefing dedicated to the presidency that Romania assumes in early 2019.