Adina Panaitescu

Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu on Wednesday, in the opening of the "Nato@70 - CSDP@20: A partnership for the future" conference, organised on the sidelines of Romania's Presidency at the EU Council, said that the transatlantic relation remains "essential to the European security and prosperity" and underscored the importance of strengthening this relation.

Parliament on Wednesday passed, 263 to 9 and one abstention, a bill on the request of President Klaus Iohannis for holding a national consultative referendum on issues of national interest on May 26 that includes several recommendations to the head of state.

Officials of Uber Romania ridesharing company say they want a collaboration with the local taxi industry, given that many taxi drivers are already using the company's application, emphasising the consumer's right to choose from among various transport options. "We want to collaborate with the taxi industry as we do in other countries.

AGERPRES special correspondent Catalina Matei reports: Developing co-operation between the Romanian and Israeli nations was the main topic of discussion held in Jerusalem on Tuesday as part of a visit by the Minister for Romanians Abroad, Natalia Intotero, along with an official retinue, at the Jerusalem City Hall.

Romanian ambassador to France Luca Niculescu believes that in the next period there will be a strong show of solidarity for the restoration of the Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris damaged by a raging fire, and that the famous monument will be reborn.

A number of 28 large-size pictures showing images from every European Union member state will be exhibited over April 18 - May 16 on the pedestrian street Nicolae Balcescu in the central Romanian city of Sibiu, to celebrate the Romanian presidency of the Council of EU, ahead of the European Union Summit to be held here on May 9, informs a release sent to AGERPRES on Tuesday.

President Klaus Iohannis on Monday welcomed at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace the Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam, Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in which context he showed this country is one of the traditional economic partners of Romania in South-East Asia and encouraged an increase in trade exchanges between Romania and Vietnam.

President Klaus Iohannis on Monday welcomed visiting Prime Minister of Georgia Mamuka Bakhtadze at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, praising the excellent quality of the relationships between Romania and Georgia, reflected also in the dynamics of the political dialogue in recent years.

President Klaus Iohannis conveyed on Monday night a message in which he shows that Romania stands by France in the context of the fire that engulfed Notre Dame Cathedral. "Heart-breaking news come from Paris. Notre Dame, a historical symbol of the European culture is in flames. Romania stands by France," the head of state wrote on Tweeter.

Romania's Foreign Minister Teodor Melescanu said on Monday, in the beginning of a high-level conference to mark the adoption of the new EU Strategy for Central Asia - Connectivity for sustainable development, that the countries in that region have undergone important changes and new opportunities are opening up for them.