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President Iohannis, opening speech at the Business forum of the Three Seas Initiative Summit
President Klaus Iohannis Monday voiced his conviction, at the plenary session that opened the Business forum of the Three Seas Initiative, that the tools created during the summit in Bucharest will bring value to this informal platform, mentioning in this regard that there will be a short list of priority interconnection projects, fully compatible with the European Union's policies.
" I strongly believe that the tools created on the occasion of the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Bucharest will bring value to this informal platform which will now have concrete tools to meet its objectives. Thus, we will have a short list of priority interconnection projects, fully compatible with the European Union's policies, we bring to reality this Business Forum format, we will have a network of Chambers of Commerce from the participating countries to actively support the activity of the Business Forum and of the business communities in the region, and a Regional Investment Fund will be set up that will back the implementation of the priority projects," President Iohannis said.
He argued that in a world and at a time "marked by global and regional events and complex developments", a new stage opened within the Three Seas Initiative, oriented towards concrete results, provides a positive example. "It is about the example of a beneficial cooperation not only for partners in the region, but also for those in the immediate vicinity - the Western Balkans and the Eastern Neighborhood. Enhanced interconnectivity and the expansion of direct contacts between business environments will give positive dynamics to other economic projects in the neighbouring countries," the president specified.
Klaus Iohannis added that lately there has been an accumulation of tensions in the global economy, "against the backdrop of an eroding security environment." "We are, therefore, exposed to major risks, which affect all the participants in the international trade in goods and services. I believe that the future of the world economy must be supported through efforts to consolidate dialogue between all parties involved and strengthen multilateral regulations, for these to be truly efficient. Certainly, evenly distributed benefits and reciprocity constitute the basis of any multilateral functional commitments," he showed.
President Iohannis pointed out that the idea of setting up the Three Seas Initiative started from the acknowledging of "the maintenance of an economic development gap" between the old and new EU member states and the desire to mitigate it. At the same time, the Initiative concurrently acts along three main tracks - economic development, European cohesion and the consolidation of transatlantic ties.
"A good way to catch up the economic development gap between the EU's old and new member states, especially along the North-South axis, but not exclusively that. The Initiative, which manages to deliver concrete results and tools with the Bucharest Summit, is in line with the objectives of the European Union's internal market. I am convinced that this format of cooperation will make a substantial contribution to the development and modernization of the infrastructure in the three areas, complementing the European Union's efforts in this regard," the President added.
He voiced his conviction that the future of the European Union is one of unity and cohesion, and the Three Seas Initiative can bring a real contribution to shaping it. Iohannis added that just as relevant for the success of the Initiative is the participation of the partners in the United States, both at the level of the authorities and of the US companies with business interests in the region.
"For the United States, regional interconnectivity thus gains a distinct, economic significance, in addition to the relevance of its engagement in Europe on the security dimension, more and more defined in recent years. Romania is a state deeply anchored in European culture and a strong supporter of the European project, which at the same time has built a strong and diversified strategic partnership with the United States of America. We are therefore extremely interested in maintaining an operational and robust transatlantic relationship, vital to the Western civilization value system. The Three Seas Initiative embodies the expression of this strategic approach of Romania, being a regional contribution to strengthening the transatlantic partnership," the President said.