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President Iohannis, Spanish Foreign Minister Gonzales Laya on need to step up bilateral economic cooperation
President Klaus Iohannis received on Wednesday visiting Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, Arancha Gonzalez Laya, with the two officials emphasizing the excellent bilateral relation marked this year by the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Romania and the Kingdom of Spain, the Presidential Administration informs in a release.
The Romanian head of state expressed the desire to further strengthen and diversify this cooperation, based on the Strategic Partnership that underlies the bilateral relationship.
President Iohannis said that the organization this year of the first joint government meeting will be an opportunity to identify new areas of enhanced cooperation between Romania and the Kingdom of Spain, and stressed, in particular, the need to intensify economic cooperation, mainly by increasing the Spanish investment presence in Romania to an extent that reflects the high level of political dialogue and the strong ties between the two countries, the cited source said.
The head of the state also reiterated the importance of the strong Romanian community in Spain, which had a substantive contribution to strengthening the ties between the two countries; Klaus Iohannis also welcomed the way the Spanish authorities have facilitated the integration of the Romanian diaspora. In her turn, Arancha Gonzalez Laya highlighted the important contribution of the Romanian community to the development of the Spanish economy and society.
A series of topics on the European and international agenda were also discussed during the meeting, with the shared strategic visions of Romania and the Kingdom of Spain on major issues of common interest being reconfirmed, the Presidency states.
At European level, the two interlocutors underlined that the implementation of the 2021 - 2027 Multiannual Financial Framework and of the European Recovery Plan is essential for the re-entering a path of solid economic growth and the operationalization of the double, digital and climate transition. In this context, Klaus Iohannis pointed out that this financial package is only part of the effort the member states need to make in order to build a European Union that is adapted to the 21st century, a resilient, green, digitized Union that is an increasingly important global actor.
From the perspective of two states at the two ends of the continent, the Romanian President and the Spanish Foreign Minister stressed that the security and prosperity of the EU are inextricably linked to those of the neighboring states, both eastern and southern ones.
In terms of security, Klaus Iohannis welcomed Spain's contribution to strengthening NATO's presence on the Alliance's eastern flank, and also stressed that Romania will continue to act as a strong supporter of the partnership between the EU and the US, which is vital for the security and prosperity of the European continent.