EP ready to collaborate with Romania: president

The President of the European Parliament (EP) Antonio Tajani said Wednesday that the EP is ready to have a collaboration as good as possible with Romania during the latter's presidency of the EU Council.

"We need your support on two to three matters, crucial to the European Parliament," Tajani told Romanian President Klaus Iohannis during their meeting at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, noting that the elections for the EP will be organized during Romania's rotating presidency of the EU Council in the first semester of 2019.

Brexit will be the first issue during Romania's presidency. "We must fight to guarantee the citizens' rights, to secure the necessary funds for the 2021-2027 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) and solve the Irish border issue," he said.

On the issue of refugees, Tajani said an agreement must be reached in the Council regarding the Dublin Regulation reform.

Tajani emphasized on the importance of the future MFF, saying that the EP wishes to increase the funds gathering to the EU budget, from 1.1 percent to 1.3 percent.

Iohannis said Romania wants to contribute to promoting common European agenda in a constructive manner.

"The European Parliament is a key partner... in terms of the cooperation with all European institutions," he said, noting that Romania fully shares the pro-European orientation.

"We are aware of the complexity, of how complicated the context in which we will take over the presidency of the EU Council is," said the head of state.

"We will face multiple challenges that affect both the lives of citizens, as well as of the governments. That is why we need to show realism but also ambition in the way we will approach our mandate," Iohannis added.