ForMin Melescanu on Commissioner Oettinger's statements: Promotes discourse lines contradicting constructive attitude of European commissioner

The latest statements of European Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Gunther Oettinger "are promoting discourse lines which contradicts the constructive attitude of an European Commissioner" and "they don't have a coverage based on reality," Foreign Affairs Minister Teodor Melescanu wrote on Wednesday on his official Facebook page. 

"We voice our regret that a member of the European Executive with so much experience, as Mr Gunther Oettinger, makes statements without a coverage based on reality. I bring Mr Oettinger's mind that it' not normal for an European Commissioner to accuse the EU member states without a serious prior documentation. The public statements made by Mr Oettinger promotes discourse lines contradicting the constructive and balanced attitude which an European Commissioner should have in relation with a member state with full rights," Melescanu underscores in regards to the recent statements of the European Commissioner. 

The head of the Romanian diplomacy highlights that "beyond the opinions lacking a historic overview of an European official, Romania remains committed to the values and development of the organisation in which it is a member with full and equal rights." 

Thus, in this context, Melescanu pointed out that "Romania has been and remains one of the most pro-European states of the European Union, with the European and Euro-Atlantic integration as a country project supported by all the political forces and the entire Romanian society." 

"For over ten years since joining the European Union, Romania proved enthusiasm and a continuous, and unequivocal support for a strong Union, stable and prosperous. We assure our European partners that this standpoint of Romania hasn't changed and we are prepared to take over the Presidency of the Council of the European Union, firmly aware of the responsibility that we have and willing to prove that Europe can be even stronger than it is today," Teodor Melescanu added. 

The European project is "in mortal danger" from opponents inside and outside the EU, Budget Commissioner Gunther Oettinger said Tuesday, as quoted in an article published on Politico.eu. 

He said that a swift approval of the EU's next long-term budget by national leaders and the European Parliament would show if Europe remains capable of action in the face of such challenges. 

'In my view, the project is in mortal danger,' the Commissioner told an event organized by Germany's Federal Association of Non-Statutory Welfare Services in Brussels on Tuesday evening. 

'Some within Europe want to weaken it or even destroy it ? Poland, Hungary, Romania, the government of Italy,' he mentioned. 

The European Commissioner added that the EU is also in danger because of the autocrats who use trade wars and aggression, mentioning Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and 'the clever Chinese.' 

Moreover, Gunther Oettinger stated that the government of his own country, Germany, is not showing enough enthusiasm for the EU, especially in the budget matter. In his view, current Social Democrat Finance Minister Olaf Scholz is 'an even stricter treasurer in this regard' than his conservative predecessor Wolfgang Schauble. AGERPRES