Inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program represents the second major objective and success of the Interior Ministry in recent months, following Romania's accession to Schengen, both of which contribute to improving the lives of citizens and generate significant positive effects on our economy, Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu said on Wednesday, on the occasion of the lifting of U.S. visa requirement, at an event organized by the U.S. Embassy in Bucharest.

He said it is a moment to celebrate 'the privileged relationship between Romania and the United States of America, the friendship, trust and close cooperation that we have.'

'I would like to thank Her Excellency, Mrs. Kathleen Kavalec, for the kind invitation to this event, to mark together, the fulfilment of one of the most important objectives for our country - the inclusion in the Visa Waiver Program,' said the Romanian minister.

Predoiu voiced his appreciation for the Romanian Government's strategic approach to this objective, as well as for the involvement of the business environment, sports personalities, private companies, and civil society, who understood the significance of participating in this complex process.

'The inclusion of Romania in the Program will be a promotor of the economic dimension of the Strategic Partnership, both in terms of consolidating the American investment presence in Romania and increasing the volume of bilateral trade,' Predoiu added.

According to the quoted source, the Visa Waiver program will significantly contribute to tourism and cultural exchange, fostering a deeper understanding between the U.S. and Romania and encouraging more people to explore new destinations, experience diverse cultures, and create international friendships.

The program has a notable impact on global business and economic growth, facilitating smooth travel for business professionals and investors.

'From the perspective of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, this moment emphasizes our firm commitment to promote the highest standards of security, combating cross-border criminality and border management, a subject that will remain the central theme of our bilateral cooperation,' Predoiu showed.

He highlighted that the Visa Waiver program is primarily a security partnership, and in this context, the Ministry, together with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, has implemented, based on the legal documents concluded, advanced tools for the rapid identification and prevention of security threats, namely the Consolidated Border Security Partnership (EBSP) and the Automated Targeting System - Global (ATS-G) program.

As part of the government campaign to reduce the visa refusal rate, the Ministry of Interior allocated significant resources and developed an efficient scheduling system for its staff, thus contributing to achieving a refusal rate of under 3%. A total of 18,365 applicants were registered, which accounts for two-thirds of the government's effort to achieve a refusal rate of 2.61%.

'In light of these achievements, I can only agree with the words expressed by our American colleagues at the last Tripartite meeting in Brussels that Romania is a best practice example of how to properly manage such a huge and complex process and get it done,' Predoiu further said. AGERPRES (RO - author: Daniel Alexandru Florea, editor: Florin Marin; EN - editor: Adina Panaitescu)