Joint press conference by Prime Minister Nicolae- Ionel Ciucă and the President of the Government of the Kingdom of(...)

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Nicolae- Ionel Ciucă: President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain, dear Pedro, Ministers, dear representatives of the local authority in Castellon, dear citizens of Castellon de la Plana, thank you for the warm welcome, and the fact that you hosted this particularly important event for our countries. The fact that we managed to organize this summit between the Romanian Government and the Government of the Kingdom of Spain is proof of the bilateral relations, we call them historical, not only of diplomatic, and political nature but also of cultural nature. President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain mentioned the large number of Romanians who are already living, studying, and working and making their contribution to the Spanish economy, I thank you for how you succeeded in integrating into Spanish society. I also want to thank you for the fact that this summit is not only a formal activity, we have just presented some practical achievements. We adopted this joint declaration, and seven memoranda have been signed. It is clear proof that we have an understanding of what we need to do together to develop bilateral relations. As we discussed, today's activity prefigures the celebration of 10 years of strategic partnership we will celebrate next year, in 2023. I want to underline from the very beginning the fact that as the President of the Spanish Government presented, we reached an understanding today on setting up a working group that will enter into the negotiations regarding the provision of the legal framework of dual citizenship for Romanian citizens who wish to obtain Spanish citizenship as well. As I pointed out, Mr. President, it is clear proof of the way in which you personally, the Spanish government and the Spanish citizens appreciate the relationship with the Romanian state and the Romanian citizens who are present in Spain today. Thank you very much!

I also want to thank you for the decision you have taken to strengthen the presence of the Spanish armed forces on the eastern flank. It is a decision that is the result of the NATO summit hosted in Madrid. It is the result of the implementation of NATO's new strategic concept. Here, we are already discussing the presence of radar on the eastern flank and the presence of personnel who ensure the operation of this equipment. It is very important to emphasize that not long from now, eight fighter jets will be present in Romania, also with related personnel, a consistent presence, and a solid contribution to what it means to ensure security measures to strengthen the defense on the eastern flank. I emphasized and I want to emphasize in this context as well that Romania supports the approach by which NATO must concern itself with everything that means ensuring defense and deterrence measures, including on the southern flank, and the 360-degree approach in what it means to defend the territory of all allied countries. I also underline our approach and support for your presidency of the European Union, to ensure everything necessary to develop the complementarity between NATO's strategic concept and the Strategic Compass of the European Union and, of course, the other dossiers that Spain will assume when taking over the presidency, in the second half of next year.

It is also very important to emphasize that these memorandums were signed, we were able to have discussions in the plenary session, and each of the ministers underlined the lines of effort, the lines of action that they will continue to work on.

I also pointed out that follow-ups will take place in the immediate next period, as I invited to Bucharest Mrs. Defense Minister and Mr. Interior Minister; I also suggested that we should have a meeting in Madrid, with the Romanian Digital Transformation Minister attending, and of course, all these meetings should later materialize in practical activities, including at the level of the Labor Ministry and the Development Ministry. These are best practice aspects we have something to learn from and, as I said in the plenary sitting, I really want the Health Ministry to also have very good cooperation, taking into account Spain's medical insurance system which we have to learn from.

Of course, we discussed the security issues in the Black Sea region, and the effect of the illegal and unprovoked invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine. We discussed everything about the need for support, to continue supporting the Republic of Moldova, and I thank you very much for the way in which you and the government you are leading, got engaged, including the third platform organized a few days in Paris. It is a sign of solidarity and unity at the level of the European Union and a sign of readiness to continue supporting partner countries, to continue supporting Ukraine, the Ukrainian Government, the Ukrainian people, and also the Republic of Moldova. They need our support and they need to know that we stand with them for them to face the effects and the consequences of this illegal and unprovoked invasion.

We discussed the aspects of what the energy crisis means, this issue of electricity and natural gas prices; we agree that it is necessary to decouple the price of gas from the price of electricity, we must find solutions so that, at the level of the European Union, we ensure the balance of the energy market within the European Union. We have used and we will use, I say publicly, the Iberian model, which inspired us when we analyzed the way of making decisions regarding energy and gas prices. As such, we must find those solutions to protect our population and ensure the competitiveness of our economies. We need these decisions because, as the dynamics and evolution of the situation show, we have to adapt and come up with appropriate solutions. I am convinced that, together, through dialogue and transparency, we will find these solutions.

Considering all that was discussed and the commitments assumed, I reiterate, Mr. President of the Government of the Kingdom of Spain, our invitation for the next summit to take place in Bucharest or anywhere in Romania. There are places in Romania where we can carry out such activities if you give us permission to use your model.

Hopefully, we can enjoy the same fruitful cooperation and carry out a similar activity in Romania. Thank you once again, we are looking forward to meeting each other as soon as possible. I want to underline the fact that the meeting of the NATO foreign ministers is taking place in Bucharest next week, an extremely important meeting. The two foreign ministers signed several memoranda, which prepared them for the activity due to take place in Bucharest, which comes, practically, at a very important moment when what was established in Madrid is to materialize in clear solutions at the level of Allied diplomacy. Thank you and I wish you success further on!