În data de 28 octombrie a.c., Comisia pentru afaceri europene a Senatului şi comisia omoloagă din Camera Deputaţilor au avut o întrevedere cu Johannes Hahn, comisarul Uniunii Europene pentru politică regională, desfăşurată în Palatul Parlamentului.
Întrevederea a avut loc în contextul celui de-al doilea forum anual al Strategiei Uniunii Europene pentru regiunea Dunării, desfăşurat la Bucureşti.
Comisarul Johannes Hahn a precizat că este important ca membrii Comisiei Europene să fie în contact cu membrii aleşi ai parlamentelor naţionale atunci când sunt dezbătute problematici de politică regională şi s-a declarat încântat de faptul că au fost prezente ambele comisii.
De asemenea, a notat importanţa sprijinului României în vederea implementării Strategiei Uniunii Europene pentru regiunea Dunării, dat fiind că statul român este, alături de Austria, promotorul acestei iniţiative politice.
Această iniţiativă este luată în calcul în cuprinsul Cadrului Financiar Multianual în vederea finanţării programelor dezvoltate pe acest palier.
Comisarul Johannes Hahn a subliniat nevoia unei strânse cooperări interstatale în vederea extinderii Uniunii Europene, menţionând că ar fi important ca toate statele balcanice să fie părţi ale Uniunii Europene, iar Strategia Dunării permite obţinerea unei integrări totale a acestora.
Doamna senator Anca Boagiu, Preşedintele Comisiei pentru afaceri europene, a subliniat importanţa Strategiei Dunării în ceea ce priveşte statele balcanice şi a viitoarei integrări europene, dar şi asupra întregii Uniuni Europene. De asemenea a menţionat că trebuie abordată problema creării de locuri de muncă şi a adăugat că acest proiect este foarte însemnat pentru România, mai ales în contextul în care este necesară şi o bună protecţie a graniţelor, având în vedere că România are cea de-a doua graniţă ca lungime a Uniunii Europene. În plus a adăugat că acest proiect nu trebuie să reprezinte doar un instrument politic în contextul parteneriatului estic, ci poate ajuta la consolidarea democraţiei în această zonă.
Senatorul Anca Boagiu a adăugat că este importantă folosirea Dunării ca şi cale de transport în Europa, dar proiectele prin care se asigură adâncimea fluviului trebuie să fie considerate eligibile pentru fondurile europene, menţionând că pentru România şi Bulgaria Dunărea este tot timpul o problemă.
Domnul senator Octavian Motoc, membru al Comisiei de Afaceri Europene l-a întrebat pe comisarul european de ce nu a fost posibilă prevederea de alocări speciale pe această strategie, domnul Hahn menţionând existenţa
Programului Operaţional 'Europa de Sud-Est (ESE)' de cooperare teritorială.
Ca urmare a întrebării domnului senator Leonard Cadăr privind migraţia forţei de muncă şi posibilitatea existenţei unor măsuri compensatorii ca urmare a acestei migraţii, Comisarul Johannes Hahn a declarat că este necesară stimularea economiei româneşti în vederea creării de locuri de muncă, crearea de noi companii şi calificarea celor deja existente amintind de fonduri ce pot fi obţinute prin Orizont 2020.
În plus, în privinţa Acordului de parteneriat 2014, comisarul european a precizat că sunt necesare negocieri în continuare, din cauza lipsei strategiilor sectoriale, menţionând capitolul transporturi, unde sunt necesare proiecte clare de dezvoltare, care să privească evoluţia statului român chiar mai târziu de 2020.
La sfârşitul întrevederii doamna senator Anca Boagiu, în numele celor două comisii, l-a felicitat pe comisarul european Johannes Hahn pentru politica regională dezvoltată în Uniunea Europeană, menţionând că politica de coeziune i se datorează atât lui cât şi întregii comisii. Doamna Presedinte a concluzionat că toate strategiile europene vor contribui în continuare pentru formarea unei Uniuni Europene mai puternice si mai eficiente, in beneficiul cetatenilor europeni.
Atasam transcript intrevedere:
Anca Boagiu (Senate, Chair): I would like to welcome you in the Romanian parliament in front of the two commissions, the committee for European Affairs from the Senate and the one from the Chamber of Deputies. And I would like personally to thank you for the request to meet the parliament. It is an honour for us. Especially because of the big event that took place today. And it did not involve directly the parliamentarians. So personally, and I hope that what I will say will be appreciqated also by my colleagues. I fully appreciate the respect that you showed for the national parliament. I hope that the meeting was fruitful and I am sure that this strategy promoted by the EC will be a fruitful one, as the overall programme promoted by the Commission. I would say that I fully appreciate what was done in the last period not only concerning the Danube strategy but also concerning the whole programme that have been promoted by the commission in this period of crisis in Europe. So once again welcome and if you allow we will share the leadership of the meeting if my colleague would like to, Mr Fenechiu, and I will close saying thank you very much for the support that DigiRegio gave to Romania during the time, even if sometimes Romania was not as fast as the commission wanted. And I hope that in the future it will be the same. Thank you very much.
Relu Fenechiu (Chamber of Deputies - Chairman): Only a few words. I’m really glad to see you again. I want to thank you one more time for all your support, for European funds in the transportation sector. I had a motion right now, but I`m alive. I’m here and I’m very glad to meet you in my new position. Thank you very much
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy):: Thank you madam chair, Mr Chairman, ladies and gentlemen. First of all I would like to apologise myself for being so delayed but like always in such conferences the time
Anca Boagiu ( Senate, Chair) is a little bit too ambitious, and journalists have so many questions. But indeed I have requested for this meeting because I think the European Commission should be in touch with the elected representatives of member states and I actually think it’s a premiere for myself to meet both chambers of a country at once which I think is great because from my point of view there should be not differentiations. Of course I understand the structure of a country and in many countries we have the two chambers. But I think when dealing with European issues, that it’s no problem to have it together and I have asked for this meeting because Romania is one of this countries where we face certain challenges when it comes to the use of European structural fund money and I personally have interests, I noticed, I sound a bit naive or unrealistic but I would like to have this discussion out of party politic discussions because we should have a common interest to use the European money. A lot has to be done in order to use the money in a smart, sustainable and finally intelligent manner and therefore I would like to have this exchange with you and in particular when it comes to the Danube strategy we`ll really ask for your support. I think it was and it is a strategy which finally is based on an initiative of Romania and Austria. So there’s a certain additional responsibility not only as a simple member of this strategy but one of the godfathers of this initiative and Romania is sharing or coordinating strict priorities: navigability tourism and risk prevention but should also and is participating in the other areas and I really ask for your further support. And Romania is also in observing the further development of this strategy and in particular taking care that in the programming of the next multiannual finance framework as it was agreed and promised. The Danube strategy and the projects related to the Danube Strategy should be taken into account when it comes to the preparation of the next MFF the different national operational program and the necessary financing of money for the individual projects being envisaged to being implemented under the DS. Once again thank you and I’m willing to take a recreation as fine I can answer it immediately, if not you will certainly get a more sufficient reply by myself. Thank you for the moment
Anca Boagiu (Senate, Chair): After a short discussion between the 2 presidents we`ll be delighted if you will start Mr Commissioner and you will present your point of view concerning the strategy and the rest if not if you don`t agree…
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy): The Danube strategy consists of 11 priorities and the main purpose was to cooperate in areas where we believe cooperation is necessary, there are certainly a lot of areas and possible projects which can be implemented by member states or regions themselves without any collaboration or cooperation with other regions or member states, but I think the starting point was to develop the whole region of the Danube. Here we’re talking about, I think all in all, 1 hundred 15 mil inhabitants which is around 20% of the European population. This is not nothing. Danube is by far, the Danube River, the most international river in the world. There are 10 bordering states. No river in the world has so many nationalities along its banks, like the Danube. We have all 3 of the main big religions in this region, we have different cultures but in particular we have a lot of opportunities. So if in the European Union there is a growing market it’s the Danube area. And that is why I think it`s important to have a close cooperation and it’s also about the future enlargement of the European Union. Maybe you understand it better than others. how important it is to have all the countries in the Balkan as member of the EU and not having like a white spots on the map but having a full integration in the EU and I hope that the DS can contribute to this aim a lot because if you have this cooperation by implementing together individual projects where you have to deliver. It’s not about a political platform where foreign ministers meet once a year and have afterwards a declaration. No. It’s about very concrete activities where you really have to deliver; it’s about visibility tangibility of Europe. Then it will certainly help assist not European member states to catch up, also in terms about capacity knowledge and is also about binding them politically to the UE and not losing it to other powers in the wider sense of the word in the region. So I think it’s an important political issue and the Danube strategy can play an important role to achieve this goal. The final if you like integration of the EU and therefor I think they should particular understand and acknowledgment of this macro region strategy and again it’s not only to have that bridge built or to take care about navigability, everything is important, because it contributes to a better connectivity it contributes to better mutual understanding and if we’re talking for instance of investment in research and innovation I think Romania can really be proud to be the first as I would call it newer member state having a basic research infrastructure related to the free road map which means a major research infrastructure, the ELI project and this will certainly attract really cutting edge scientist all around the world so all this different elements will contribute to a better development of the region of an increase of attractiveness. Don`t forget the migration effect which we are facing. Romania, I would say has lost a lot of people to other European member states where they have found jobs and I think this should have an interest to take care about circulation of people but not a one way migration flow. And all about this is the Danube strategy and I think together we should hopefully share this vision and work on a real sound and sustainable and long term implementation of the strategy.
Anca Boagiu (Senate, Chair): Thank you Mr Commissioner before starting discussions with my colleagues I would like to say a few words concerning what you said before, that this Danube Strategy is very important for the Balkans. And it’s very important for the future integration of the EU, you know very well that Romania is playing a very important role and we all know that the Danube Strategy is a very important one not only for Romania it’s important for the overall EU. It’s not only an issue of how we are moving the traffic from roads to the railroad, and from rail to the Danube to diminish the emissions of gas, it’s an issue of creating jobs, it’s an issue of making investments and, it’s an issue of protecting at the end of the day, speaking about migration, also the borders. It will be very important for us to develop this project and also to protect very well the borders, not alone, obviously, due to the fact that we are the external border of the EU. We are the second one as length inside the EU and I would say taking all the risk that we know very well or much more better than many other old countries in the EU which are the real problems in the region. And I will refer to the countries on the neighbourhood of Romania and the problems arisen in the last period. it’s a big step what will happen with Moldavia, it’s a big step I hope, if we will succeed to keep together all the countries included in the EU strategies but as you said it is important to use this projects not only as a political signal, we have to use them as instruments to develop the countries on the eastern neighbourhood of Europe. It’s important to consolidate democracies in this countries and it’s important to succeed on day, but supporting hardly these countries to have them inside the EU. And it’s important also because they have resources. And there are resources which are really needed and useful for Europe, and when I say resources I refer to the gas, petrol, oil, to the gold, in the case of Romania, so we can become much more rich in Europe if we`ll get inside rich countries which are not inside today. And I will say once again, it’s important for them to consolidate their democracies and it’s also important to help them and to stay behind them. For them is much more difficult than it was for Romania for ex. or for Bulgaria. And programs like the Union strategy for the Danube are really useful for this aim. Now if my colleagues would like to ask you questions or to refer to the subject, the chamber, the senate
Relu Fenechiu (Chamber of Deputies - Chairman): Thank you. I don`t have so many questions because we have talked a lot about this thing, but I have a curiosity.
I understood there is a problem with freight transport in Budapest. Is it right or not? Because I understood that the problem with the freight transport in Budapest. Because if it’s right I think that we have a really problem with...because we want to make money and freeway. It’s important to use Danube for transportation for freight transport but if we have a real problem with Budapest, it’s a project that it’s impossible to finalize. For us the Danube strategy it’s important for develop also of the Constanta port the east gate in Europe. And for this reason it’s very important the position of Hungary.
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy): There was a problem, unfortunately there was a problem. But we managed it, we settled it already in June or July last year. It was about the length of ship convoys. How many barges you could use and so on. There was indeed a provision by the Hungarians, which would have an impact on the transport capacities. But after a joint initiative by the transport ministers, and by my colleague, Siim Kallas, the transport commissioner, and may I say by myself and all other people, in particular have to say the priorities coordinated played a very important and initiative role we could resolve the problem, so in the moment it’s not a problem. The bigger problem it’s the depth of the freeway where we faced this year some problems on the Romanian-Bulgarian stretch where was the consequences that the thing finally 80 ships were stopped and unable to move which created a lot of financial losses. This is something we have to avoid for the future. I have understood it was mainly due to difficulties with the Bulgarian side because Romania would have been active on this. But I have offered my ability to coordinate something if necessary but maybe it’s not necessary, but in any case we should try to resolve the problem, because the image damage is so huge. We have discussed so many about navigability and it’s the core element of the whole strategy, the starting point of the strategy. we agreed that only 10% of the potential is used for transport on the Danube, and then we are facing such problems, which is indeed a problem and the thing is not about environmental issues it’s something we could really resolve the situation simply if we are tracking the sand out of the freeway and maintain the freeway as it should be the case, and which is by the way part of international agreements and contracts to take care about the freeway in a certain way that the minimum depth is guaranteed I think over 300 days a year. and I think this is such a good example hopefully for the future where the DS can contribute to overcome may I say some bilateral tensions in order to guarantee the use of the river for everybody. because it’s not only about problems and obstacles on a certain kilometre because you need transport capacity all around the river and if in particular you have a strong interest in the Constanta port there should be any interest that the river is navigable upstream and at least to use the full capacity finally offering by the link between the river rhine and the river Danube. But I think your problems should be resolved. I have never heard anything about it till today. We had this problem in spring 2012 but we could settle it. Finally the Hungarians modified the regulation. The problems are from our point of view resolved.
Anca Boagiu (Senate, Chair): If you allow me here, I would add something. It is important to use the Danube. I don’t know if I know the program and the projects, by the beginning of the 2012 don’t know the further evolutions. But it will be really important in order to ensure the navigability on the Danube to consider eligibility or as eligible the projects based on which we can ensure at least the minimum depth of the Danube. And I’m saying that because Romania and Bulgaria, you know very well we are neighbours, we are the last ones on the way of the Danube to the Black Sea. And for us it is always a problem, always. And it’s a constant fight between Romania and Bulgaria because we are sharing. We have a line, an invisible line between the two countries, we never know which this line is and we are always fighting when we have problems, so some special programmes dedicated to ensure the navigability on the Danube might be useful for the overall program
Octavian Motoc (Senate): Just one question. Why it was not possible to foreseen a special financial allocation for this Danube strategy, because a lot of people expected to have this kind of spatial dedicated financial allocation for the strategy.
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy):: There is a territorial cooperation programme. In the moment in the current perspective it’s called South East European programme, and in the next financial perspective we will have one which is explicitly called Danube program. which means that we have excluded 2 countries not belonging to the Danube Strategy, but now, being part of the SE programme in order to have a new Danube program which covers totally the Danube strategy member states. But I have to say this is a program it’s around 240 million, which is dedicated for joint activities in the area of studies of events etc. but the huge bulk of money for project should be raised by the individual national or regional operational programs. Why? The alternative would have been in theory, because the overall amount of money is limited, to take ways allocations from member states and to manage it directly by Brussels which I believe is not in the interest of our member states. They will never renounce on any share which finally will be managed via Brussels, and I believe this is not also necessary and also not desirable. Why? Because our member states know much better the situation on the ground. What we have to achieve is cooperation, coordination, a joint decision about areas where you have to implement your individual projects and may I say most of the projects related to the Danube strategy are individual projects which contribute to an overarching goal. To give you an idea water quality. If there is no cleaning of the water upstream it always makes sense to clean the water even downstream, but if you receive dirty water polluted water and you have to clean it again this is a not very efficient. So if water quality is a general topic, each member state, each region has to participate to this by the implementation of individual projects dealing with water treatment or biodiversity or navigability. We have just discussed some stretches along the Romanian-Bulgarian stretch of the Danube, but we have also some other parts along the Danube where we have this problems. So the implementation of the individual projects contributes to the overarching goal and it is better to have the responsibility the ownership of the implementation of these projects with the member states, also their financial responsibility. What is necessary is the political agreement in certain areas and there are the 11 priority areas to decide about Danube strategy related projects. All These projects do not stand alone but have to be understood as part of a bigger idea, if you like. So the different parcels will finally give hopefully a colourful picture and this is why we still believe that the structure of the financing of Danube strategy related projects should be with the member states and should not be withdrawn from them; Quite the opposite.
Cătălin Rădulescu ( Chamber of Deputies): Mr Hahn my question is a very simple one but in a same time a very direct one. I want to know which one and how is the European strategy for the gipsy European problems because I consider the gipsy problems is more one Europe and one and not only a national problem
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy
):: It’s like, may I say, the unemployment problem. One could see Europe faces unemployment, youth unemployment but if you look into the figures you could see different high or low unemployment rates related to the economic circumstances and performances and conditions of the member states. And the same applies for the rroma issue, this is why we have provided a lot of, it’s never too much, but there is money in principle available for rroma related projects but also we believe, I am to say by far not an expert on rroma issues but I`m following closely the discussions and situation in different countries where over proportionately many rroma people are living and I would say to a certain extent the conditions are differently and therefore you have to address it according to your conditions and your knowledge, for instance in the current period we have modified our regulations that up to 4% of the ERD F money, can be used for housing rehabilitation of deprived people which is a circumscription of rroma people sure it will also affect other minorities but practically it addresses the rroma issues and if I look into the figures only a few countries have used this opportunity but in the future, in the next financial perspective we will have a closer look also in the negotiations with member states also about the rroma related projects. Because, in principle, it’s a pending and unresolved problem.
Gabriela Crețu (Senate): thank you. Commissioner, concerning the Danube strategy almost everybody is very much supportive and we understand the need for cooperation to build macroeconomic regions, to solve together common problems, but I’d like to benefit from your presence here to ask a quite different question. For us keeping well-funded and coherent cohesion policies it is as well very important as it is crucial. Or as we are aware the treaty of Lisbon introduced besides economic and social cohesion as well territorial cohesion. And my question is if this goal of territorial cohesion would have some new rules, criteria to accomplish in order to be achieved in the next financial framework.
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy)
:: What do you mean exactly by applying the principle of territorial cohesion or what?
Gabriela Crețu (Senate): What the treaty said. We know that by 2009 only economic and social cohesion were the two objectives to achieve following the cohesion policies and spending cohesion funds. But since 2009 there is as well a new objective: To achieve territorial cohesion. And I think in developing I suppose, not only macro regions in Europe but trying to avoid inequalities, differences between micro regions as well, because I imagine this objective means as well to avoid having regions with high level income, including social development and other regions more, more regions, very, very poor. Because the average could be good could show progress but actually the fact, facts that prove another thing, differences…
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy)
:: I would say this is a going challenge for Europe and if we look into the development in particular of the newer member states well see within a growing country growing disparity between the regions, the capital regions, not only Bucharest, but also in the other member states, they are well developing themselves whereas other parts of the countries are still lagging behind, poor whatsoever, and I asked my people in the negations for the next programming period to take care on this aspect meaning that to overcome this disparities amongst regions of the member states. Because capital regions are always booming a region and this is good and we have to support it and nobody should relax on this, because also this regions have to catch up. But if I look into the development of the country I can really observe a growing disparity between the different regions and this is a challenge we have to see, to accept, and we have to deal with it in order to overcome the situation because the final, if you like, catching up process can only be successful if we are able to overcome this disparities but it`s about if you like crashing down barriers not only physically ones but also in the minds and I think it is in particular something which have to be addressed to also in Romania, but in many other member states because finally we should have a similar level of welfare across the country in order to offer the people the opportunity to stay and to live wherever they would like to live. We know from many studies and so on that 80% of the people would like to stay where they have been born and to have personal perspectives for themselves for the children and grandchildren and this is I think a main challenge and also a main task of regional policy.
Leonard Cadăr: In your speech you had mentioned labor migration. It is known that specialists in less developed countries from Eastern Europe have been looking for a job in the developed part of Europe. My question is, and because you pointed out migration: Have you thought of compensatory measures that remove, which compensate the deficiencies that remain after these migrations? It is true that labor creates economic growth in the respective states, while, and behind them leaves a weak labor force and issues arise from it. Thank you.
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy):: one could say they`re worth it if you like but this is rather cynical and that is why I’ll only say it in that respect by being net contributors. But I think that the more important approach and issue should be to stimulate and promote the Romania finance an economy to create new jobs to create new job opportunities to offer for instance what we have done for the next financial period for the first time to have a cooperation between the Horizon 2020 fund and the structural funds for instance to a directive universities to have interests in scientist there to build or to finance incubators, technology boxes..etc. everything which is shouted to create new companies to assist existing ones so what we have to do and I think this is the only way to change the situation and in principle as I said already the emerging markets in Europe are the eastern European countries, that’s why still a lot, of course if they will want to, of course there may be a little brake or less impressive figures in terms of investments, but I’m quite confident that people will come back. because if you look into the figures the potential is here, and if you invest here you need skilful workers, you have to invest in their qualifications, we have if you like the European social fund, which is dedicated to qualify people, to train people, but everything would only work out if we are really able to establish new companies or to qualify existing ones so that they can indeed offer jobs, or guarantee existing ones. It will not be a final solution if we reward the migration of people by having a per capita tax so we have to find ways to a directive economy here and i think there are absolutely a lot of potentials and in the meantime there are many people who`d like to come back because also in old member states the economic situation is not so good, there are a lot of unemployed people also from your country. So if the economic opportunities in Romania would further improve i think many would come back also for the reasons i have said previously.
Cătălin Drăgușanu (Chamber of Deputies): thank you. Mr Hahn. One punctual question. From the point of view of the European community is it possible to sign the partnership agreement with the European Community From 2014- 2020 between May-June 2014 like Mr Prime Minister Victor Ponta has in mind? What must Romania do for this?
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy):: May I say, I hope we can sign or agree about the partnership agreement much earlier. Hopefully at the beginning of next year that should be clearly the aim in order to negotiate about the operational programs. So the precondition to agree about operational programs is to agree about the partnership agreement and we have received first draft. There are certainly some necessities to further negotiate and to make them more mature. In some areas we are missing sectorial strategies but it was promised that we will receive it. But it`s not that we have it and to make a look it`s about an idea, about the future development of a sector, within the society, which should be the main objective of Romania itself. When we`re asking for a transport strategy for instance it`s about a clear idea: what are the individual projects, what are the different transport means, how they inter-relate amongst themselves to have an idea in which direction the future investments should be targeted. Or smart specialization strategy. It`s simply to have an idea if you take the different parts of Romania, where are the potentials, where are the assets, what can be further developed, which strengths can be further strengthen. So to have a clear picture what should be the direction we should be heading on. and that`s why it is not simply a paperwork to satisfy us it should be understood as a vital contribution to the development of some regions or of the country itself. That`s why I think it`s an investment in a better understanding about the strategy, about the direction Romania should go within the next few years. At least until 2020 but it should be already an outlook beyond 2020.
Anca Boagiu (Senate, Chair): thank you Mr Commissioner. We just had a short consultation so I’m allowed by my colleague to thank you very much on behalf of both committees for your presentation for the respect that you showed to the national parliament. and i would like first of all, before leaving this room to congratulate you for the effort that you`ve done to develop the regional policy in the EU and for the good results that you had and I would say that the fact that the commission agreed that the cohesion policy should remain on the future as the major policy inside the EU is the result of the work of you and your collaborators and also the whole commission but you were the first on the first line, secondly I would say that the fact that in the future all the new projects are oriented to create jobs and investments is a very good sign for all the European Countries especially for the last ones entering the EU, because it`s a huge effort in this period to develop investments and to create jobs, and all the projects are job creating and this is an excellent message for all of us, lastly, which I think it`s a growing subject, I`m sure that all the strategies coming after the Western Balkans, the Black Sea Synergy and so on (and now we have the Black Sea), will contribute to strengthen the EU and to strengthen our policies and will make us a strong partner and a strong fighter if needed in front of EURASIA. We feel that in the region, how EURASIA is developing, not always seen by everybody, but I think that our major goal is to develop Europe and to strengthen the European integration. So once again thank you very much Mr Commissioner for everything that you`ve done until now for Romania and inside the European Commission and also for the results of the Barosso Commission. Thank you
Johannes Hahn (European Commissioner for Regional Policy
):: Thank you madam chair your European words and indeed I think Romania is up in the Region and should be understood as an up to the regions and to other parts, you mentioned Eurasia, so that`s why Europe should and must have an interest to strengthen Romania and whatever we can contribute we will do and coming to you is also because my understanding, also as a former parliamentarian, is parliamentarians should act as communicators towards the people. You have all the opportunities, you have your constitutions, and I really ask you to inform about Europe. It`s not about to do it without any critics but I think it`s always, it depends what is the approach and you can say it in a way that you are talking about a half empty or a half full glass. and I think Europe is definitely something which is more than a half full glass and in that respect thanks again for the opportunity to be with you and whenever there is another opportunity I would be here with pleasure and have a friendly exchange of views with the two Chambers of the Romanian Parliament. Thank you so much