President Juncker’s State of the Union address

The presidency and government in Bucharest have hailed the European Commission President Jean Claude Junckers address in the European Parliament.

Roxana Vasile, 14.09.2017, 14:05

In mid-May this year the European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker paid a visit to Romania, occasion on which he said he was a friend and fervent supporter of this country. The European official saw Romania, ten years on from its EU accession, as a strong supporter of the European values. “We need this young energy of Romania, that can play a major role in shaping up Europe’s future, the head of the Executive in Brussels said in May.

In his state-of-the-union address before the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Wednesday, Jean-Claude Juncker proposed that Sibiu, the native city of Romania’s president Klaus Iohannis, where he also served as mayor, should host on March 30th 2019 a special EU summit where country leaders will get together to publicly express their unity shortly after Britain’s leaving the bloc. Juncker has also announced the launch of a European Commission instrument aimed at technically assisting the countries that are not yet in the Euro-zone, which is also the case of Romania. And there is more good news. In order to consolidate its unity, the European Union has to become more inclusive, Juncker also said, adding that the Schengen zone must immediately open to both Romania and its neighbour, Bulgaria.

The president of the European Commission has also mentioned that next year he will pay personal attention to Romania and the Baltic countries, which are to celebrate a century of existence and without which Europe could not be complete. Last but not least the EU official has described as unacceptable the fact that there are still children in Europe dying of diseases that have long been eradicated. Children in Romania or Italy must have access to measles vaccine just like other children in the member countries.

The presidency and government in Bucharest have hailed president Juncker’s address. President Klaus Iohannis has appreciated the Commission’s support for Romania’s joining Schengen and the Eurozone, while Prime Minister Mihai Tudose mentioned that it was for the first time when the European Commission did not criticize Bucharest. This is an extraordinary message, which appreciates the efforts made by all Romanians — the Prime Minister went on to say. In an interview to Radio Romania, foreign policy analyst, professor Stefan Popescu, made an appeal to moderation though: “The mandates of Mr. Juncker and of the European Commission are due to end in the spring of 2019. Between these good intentions and the talks that are to follow, there is a difference that must prompt us, Romanians, be moderately optimistic.”

The world is fully aware that after Britain’s leaving the bloc there is the need for the construction of a more united, stronger and more democratic Europe. Brexit is to come into effect on March 29th 2019, when Romania will be holding the EU’s rotating presidency.