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Romanian-Bulgarian joint statement on strengthening regional cooperation in energy area
The Foreign and Energy Ministers of Romania and Bulgaria on Friday, on the occasion of the joint government meeting taking place in Craiova, signed a joint statement on strengthening the regional cooperation in the energy area, which mainly underscores the commitment of the two sides to the European strategic objective of diversifying both the routes and the sources of energy.According to a press release remitted by the Foreign Affairs Ministry (MAE), the statement voices the support for the Southern Corridor, "including for the TAP/TANAP corresponding projects."
"The statement includes the expectation that the European Commission's support be directed to the energy projects corresponding to the development priorities of the Energy Union and which can only be funded if in complete agreement with the EU legislation. Moreover, the statement refers to the priority nature of the interconnections between the two countries and the Vertical Gas Corridor Romania-Bulgaria-Greece," the MAE release points out.
Foreign Affairs Minister Bogdan Aurescu on Friday had consultations with his Bulgarian counterpart Daniel Mitov, in the joint government session between Romania and the Republic of Bulgaria, held in Craiova.
"On the European level, the Ministers approached the topic of energy security, from the prospects of the evolutions registered recently on a regional level and in the context of the discussions in the EU on the creation of the Energy Union and the need to ensure the energy security of the EU," MAE informs.
In the meeting, they also approached with priority the topic of the delimitation of Romania's and Bulgaria's maritime spaces of the Black Sea. According to MAE, Aurescu and Mitov agreed to continue the negotiations, on an expert level, aimed at obtaining an "equitable, mutually acceptable" solution.
"Referring to the situation of the Romanian community of Bulgaria, and of the Bulgarian community of Romania, respectively, Minister Bogdan Aurescu underscored the importance of the bilateral cooperation for encouraging the cultural and educational projects promoted by these communities. He made a concrete reference to the need of the Bulgarian authorities to support the education in the Romanian language in the areas inhabited by Romanians," the cited source adds.
In regards with the accession to the Schengen Area, the Romanian and Bulgarian Foreign Ministers agreed on maintaining an open and constructive dialogue on this topic.
"At the same time, the two Ministers approached the issue of implementing the Juncker Plan, voicing the interest in a number of common projects which could be completed in this framework. Taking into account those previously agreed in Bucharest, on the opportuneness of modernising the Black Sea Synergy, Romania's initiative of 2007, the two Ministers discussed concrete modalities for continuing to promote this topic on the European agenda, as a contribution of the two countries in a broader context of revising the European Neighbourhood Policy," MAE shows.