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President Basescu on EP resolution: I see nothing wrong; our MEPs will be able to increase Romania's budget
Romanian President Traian Basescu on Friday said he sees nothing wrong with the resolution of the European Parliament on the MFF (the multiannual financial framework) 2014-2020, pointing out that the Romanian MEPs will have the opportunity, during the debate on the EU budget, to get 8 to 9 billion in addition for Romania.
‘I would like to make another comment related to the resolution of the European Parliament on the MFF 2014-2020. I hear that some politicians in our country understood that the budget was rejected, following the heads of state and government to meet again, to add some more money, right? No, this is a political act of the European Parliament, which, personally, I consider fair, but which has nothing to do with the increase of the allotments in the budget. Mainly, the European Parliament spoke about the obligation to review this budget. The European Council spoke only about the possibility, in better times, somewhere in 2014-2015, in the hope that it will be possible to add something more, but the European Parliament wants a decision to establish that this review will for sure be carried out and not to remain under 'let's see what we can do' terms said Basescu. And the second major objective - although the European Parliament probably has more, but those ones were more cleared to me - is related to a increased flexibility in the amounts,' said Basescu at the end of the European body's works,quoted by Agerpres correspondent.
In this context, he said that probably the European Parliament wants to have 'a more important word to say' related to the possibility of adapting resources allotted to a country to her priorities at that time.
'It seems that the Parliament wants a higher flexibility, which is not bad at all, if conditions for this flexibility are established, so that not to be very complicated [..] I think these are the objectives of the resolution of the European Parliament and I think they are very good, I do not see anything wrong with them. I have to say that this debate to follow in the (EP - editor's note) will provide an opportunity for our MEPs to get another 8 or 9 billion euros in addition to Romania's budget. They looked like they were making me responsible for an increase of only 18 percent in the budget and I am convinced that by skill, talent, wit, and their ability to persuade, they will be able to increase Romania's budget,' said President Basescu.
The Parliament will discuss the 2014-2020 budget at its plenary session in July. Without the EP agreement, the budget will not take effect.
The European Parliament expressed its dissatisfaction this week towards the draft budget for 2014-2020 and urged the adoption of amendments before the vote in July.
The resolution of the European Parliament which rejected the draft budget was adopted with 506 votes for and 161 votes against and 23 abstentions.
'The European Parliament rejects the current form of the draft budget because it doesn't reflect the priorities and concerns expressed', said the resolution adopted by the MEPs.