V. Dăncilă: "Romania is ready to assume the presidency of the Council of the EU" – Romania

Meeting of Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker. Photo: gov.ro.

Reporter : Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă, you had a busy agenda in Brussels and important meetings with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and with several European Commissioners' areas. interest such as agriculture, European funds or the economy. All these meetings take place from the point of view of Romania to take over the presidency of the EU Council on 1st January 2019. What is the message you sent here in Brussels, what are the objectives of our country for the next presidency

[VioricaDăncilă: The message is very simple, we want to have a successful presidency, meet the challenges at European level and, of course, the challenges that will arise along the way. It is clear that during the Presidency of the EU Council held by Romania on January 1, 2019, we will face major challenges, the Brexit, the future of the EU after Brexit , challenges related to the multiannual financial framework. In this sense, we really want to get a political agreement, we want it, and we also benefit from the support of the European Commission in this respect, but also the challenges related to traditional policies, the common agricultural policy or cohesion policy. . Of course, there are other policies to which we must pay particular attention, I think of defense policy, migration policy, youth, innovation and many others. things which, as I mentioned, may appear

Reporter : With regard to the reform of the judicial code and penal codes, the European Commission said last week that she followed these reforms and would not hesitate to act if necessary. In a statement broadcast by Radio Romania, Justice spokeswoman Christian Wigand said the fight against corruption and the establishment of an independent and professional judiciary are of paramount importance, is at the heart of the Commission's reports on the cooperation mechanism. and verification. And it is also important that Romania intensify its efforts and avoid taking action from achievements. You spoke about it in the discussions with the President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, and how can we see the Brussels judicial reform in Brussels?

Viorica Dăncilă : I approached this topic with European Commission Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker and Vice President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans. We agree with many of the things we mentioned. And we want the fight against corruption, and we want the independence of justice, and we want normality. And I think these things were also maintained by the European Commission. We discussed the Penal Codes, the Code of Criminal Procedure, we explained that these were the result of debates for almost a year in the Romanian Parliament, they were not adopted as in 2016 in only one day. Magistrates, judges, all who have a say in this matter have been consulted. We asked if there were things or things that were vague, to make them punctual, precisely to be able to remedy certain things, but we also explained the need to amend the Penal Code, because we have to transpose the decisions of the Constitutional Court, I think it is important, that these things be internal and that the rule of law is not affected in any way. There should be no negative impression on Romania as things are not likely to affect the rule of law. I said that we wanted now, as we wanted for the first time, that the mechanism of cooperation and verification be brought to the presidency, we asked for support in this regard, and we will try, we will do everything our possible to meet the requirements of the report.

Reporter : One last question, Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă, Romania is facing an important period, time flies, the countdown has already begun until it take the presidency of the Council of the European Union in Austria. Is Romania ready to assume the Presidency of the Council of the European Union?

Viorica Dăncilă : Yes, Romania is ready, we are in time with the presidency in the shadow during the Austrian presidency, we want the transition to be very harmonious, already working on the files of the Austrian Presidency, and I think that it is very important. We are logistically ready, but my presence in Brussels today is also linked to the fact that we want very good cooperation with the Commission, and Commissioner Oettinger, the Budget Commissioner, has said that we are in a good position. he would send us experts to Bucharest, so that Romania has a successful presidency. It is very important that the Presidency of Romania by the Council of the European Union is a successful presidency, as it will end a cycle. We will have to look at the results of the strategic program started in 2014, we are in 2019, a new period will begin, and there will indeed be an assessment that will probably mark the future of European construction

Reporter: Thank you.

Keywords

Christian WigandViorica DăncilăJean-Claude JunckerFrans Timmermanspreşidin