Romanian-Turkish Relations

This year Romania and Turkey celebrate 135 years since the inception of their bilateral relations. On Thursday in Ankara, several documents were signed, with the prime ministers of the two countries in attendance.

Corina Cristea, 20.09.2013, 14:28

Focused on the Strategic partnership signed by Bucharest and Ankara two years ago, the visit by Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta to Turkey comes to confirm and underline the common stand taken by the two countries in various domains, starting with energy security, two-way trade exchanges, up to the policy pursued by Ankara as regards Syria or Turkey’s goal to join the European Union. Energy security is for both Bucharest and Ankara one of the key points in the comings years, the visiting Romanian Prime Minister underlined during the talks he had with president Abdullah Gul and his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Victor Ponta: “The most important project is that of creating a high voltage current interconnection link between Romania and Turkey, through a submarine cable across the Black Sea. It is a large-scale project. Romania already boasts a surplus of energy, whereas Turkey is a country which is developing economically and needs energy. I am absolutely confident that the project will carry on, from an economic point of view.”

Turkey, which is Romania’s fist largest non-EU trading partner and the fifth partner in terms of international trade exchanges, continues to be in the focus of attention for the Bucharest authorities. The value of trade exchanges between the two countries might soon amount to 10 billion dollars, a goal which might soon be reached, if Romania introduces a more flexible visa regime for Turkish business people, says prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan: “Some 7,000 Turkish firms are operational in Romania, in various fields of activity and I am confident that based on the verbal exchange of notes we have made and by granting 5 year visas to our business people, we will be able to reach this goal, too.”

Turkish investors have told Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta they are interested in getting state aid according to EU norms, asking about what conditions they should meet to achieve that goal. They have also called on Ponta to grant them such an aid in order to develop their businesses in Romania. All economic interests of both Turkey and Romania are received with much attention and friendship, the Romanian Prime Minister has assured. In another move, he reiterated Romania’s absolute and unconditional support for Turkey, in its effort to join the European Union. “Europe needs Turkey just as much as Turkey needs Europe. I truly believe that a Europe including Turkey will be a stronger Europe, more respected at international level. Undoubtedly, the European standards enable all of us to make progress towards democracy and achieving economic development,” said Romanian prime minister Victor Ponta.