EconMin Spataru: Romania has the capacity to become supply hub for Ukraine.
The Ministry of Economy has concrete projects in the coming period through which basic raw materials can be delivered from Romania for the reconstruction of Ukraine, so that our country has the capacity to become a supply hub for Ukraine, together with the Republic of Moldova, Economy Minister Florin Spataru said on Tuesday, told Agerpres.
According to him, Romania and the Republic of Moldova have more than 2,000 km of border, the largest border Ukraine has with neighbouring and friend countries.
"That is why the measures we have taken, revitalising some transport lines, ensuring the transfer of goods on the Danube or in the sea-river ports and in the port of Constanta, have been an essential help for the continuation of activities. What next? The next step is for neighbouring and friend countries to have the capacity and capability to deliver the basic materials for the reconstruction of Ukraine, because the reconstruction of Ukraine starts with oil, starts with cement, starts with concrete, starts with glass, starts with paper, starts with all these raw materials that many years ago we thought we could supply from elsewhere," Florin Spataru mentioned at the forum 'Rebuilding Ukraine,' organised by the Romania - Ukraine Bilateral Chamber of Commerce (CCBRU) under the auspices of the Ukrainian Embassy to Romania.
The Minister of Economy stressed that Romania has the capacity to become a supply hub for Ukraine, together with its sister country, the Republic of Moldova. However, he said that our country should already develop business-to-business human-to-human links through conferences in order to be prepared.
"The Ministry of Economy has, in the next period, concrete projects through which those capacities, those basic raw materials can be delivered from Romania. We will continue this activity, we have continued the dialogue with the ambassador to find common solutions to support Ukrainian companies, even in crisis situations, and we will support, including at European level, this Black Sea regional project, in which Romania, Ukraine and other friend countries will be able to provide these capacities and capabilities," the minister added.
According to him, Europe is starting to rethink its industrial strategy, a strategy that was based very much on exporting intelligence and supply from other parts of the world.
"This is becoming less and less likely, both for Europe and for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, the two countries that want to join the European single market. Continuing industrial activities, supporting raw material producers and developing them on the basis of the principles that the European Union and we impose are a first step in supporting Ukraine and the reconstruction of Ukraine. Of course there will be many steps from now on, but the first step is to support the industry, an industry that Romania has, an industry that is suffering at the moment, but which showed solidarity when we discussed the sanctions imposed on Russia and Belarus - and we found solutions," added the Economy Minister.
During the forum, the Memorandum of Understanding between the Romania-Ukraine Bilateral Chamber of Commerce (CCBRU), the Chamber for Sustainable Development Diplomacy with Ukraine and the Odessa Regional Development Agency was signed.
Rebuilding Ukraine (www.rebuildingukraine.ro) is a Chamber project consisting of a platform for companies wishing to get involved in Ukraine's reconstruction projects. The project also entails the organisation by the Romania - Ukraine Bilateral Chamber of Commerce of an annual conference, a forum and an Expo-type event.
