AGERPRES special correspondent Daniel Florea reports: Romania and Italy are moving to a new stage in the development of their strengthened strategic partnership, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Thursday, adding that the joint declaration he signed with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni lays the foundations for an action plan that will take relations between the two countries to a new level.

"Thirteen years after the last intergovernmental meeting in this format, which took place in Bucharest, we have the opportunity to write an important new chapter in the history of our bilateral relations. The Joint Declaration we signed today lays the foundations for an action plan that will take our relations to a new level. I appreciated the openness of Madam President Meloni regarding the intensification of economic cooperation, but also for the valorization of the Romanian diaspora living in Italy, as well as of the Italian community in our country," said Ciolacu, on a visit to Rome, in the joint statements made with his Italian counterpart.

He stressed the importance of the historical and cultural ties between the two countries.

"The Romanians here have already demonstrated their contribution to the development of relations between our countries. Sometimes we have to admit that politicians have not lived up to our common potential, but we both intend, Madam President, to change this. In the spirit of these historical ties, I have decided as prime minister of Romania to contribute to the repairs currently being carried out to Trajan's Column, a monument that is a cornerstone for the Romanian people, but also for the cultural relations between our two nations. We must protect our values, respect our history and learn from it, looking forward together to what we can do to maintain peace and stability on our continent and internationally," said the Romanian prime minister.

Marcel Ciolacu told the Romanians in Italy that the authorities in Bucharest are at their disposal.

"I would like to thank all those who have made the Romanians living here feel welcome and to convey to the Romanians in Italy that the Executive I lead is at their disposal. We will do everything we can to make their ties with the country stronger. (...) That is why one of the aspects intensely discussed, also provided for in the signed documents, is the intensification of cooperation for the protection of Romanian workers in Italy, the fight against crime and the mobility of the labour force in safe conditions," added Ciolacu.

He thanked the Italian Prime Minister and the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Policies for unblocking the situation regarding the settlement of the pension files of Romanians who worked in Italy.

At the same time, the head of government expressed his hope that Prime Minister Meloni will also support the efforts to finalize the negotiations on the agreement between the Romanian Orthodox Diocese and the Italian Cabinet, started in 2012, regarding the status of the Romanian Orthodox clergy.

During the joint meeting of the two governments, one of the main topics was related to the economic dimension.

"Italy is Romania's second largest trading partner. We have signals that official statistics will show that bilateral trade will have exceeded 20 billion euros in 2023, a new record. At the same time, I am pleased to note that Romanians here have come second in a ranking of foreigners opening businesses in Italy, with tens of thousands of firms and sole proprietorships. In addition, several important Romanian companies have invested in Italy in recent years: Banca Transilvania, Digi, Bitdefender or UiPath, all leaders in their fields. I would like this to continue to develop, and the high interest in the Italy-Romania Economic Forum that will take place this afternoon fully confirms this," said premier Ciolacu.

He also launched an appeal to Italian companies to invest in Romania.

"Come and invest in Romania, because you will only stand to gain. The Italian business environment already present in Romania contributes to the economic development of our country. (...) We would like to use Italian know-how even more and to transfer skills and knowledge in such a way that the economic competitiveness of both countries grows and we develop as many joint initiatives as possible. (...) We currently have many joint projects of strategic importance. There is significant potential that we want to exploit in the fields of transport and construction, energy and defence. That is why the relevant ministers have intensively discussed each issue in order to identify the best solutions to strengthen our cooperation," Marcel Ciolacu added.

The meeting of the Cabinets in Bucharest and Rome also provided an opportunity to discuss the European and international agenda.

"Romania and Italy share many of the challenges we are facing today. We need a world where international rules are respected, we need to protect our values, and the European Union and NATO must help us identify the best common solutions. I am convinced that together, Romania and Italy will continue to be influential actors in the two international structures and we will help to modernize their action so that they become more efficient," explained Ciolacu.

At the same time, he expressed his appreciation for Italy's unconditional support for Romania's accession to the Schengen area.

The prime minister announced that he will ask his colleagues in the Government to closely follow the action plan discussed so that the next meeting of the two Cabinets can be held much faster, with tangible results.

"The potential exists, but Romania and Italy need to show more ambition. Madam President Meloni, dear Giorgia, thank you for the very good dialogue today and your openness. I am convinced that we are on the right track both in terms of strengthening our Strategic Partnership and the sincere friendship between our nations," concluded prime minister Marcel Ciolacu.AGERPRES(RO - author: Daniel Florea, editor: Claudia Stanescu; EN - editor: Simona Iacob)