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IntMin Predoiu, in Vienna: Interior Ministry's ambition, to make Romania border protection standard
Interior Minister Catalin Predoiu said in Vienna on Wednesday, at the end of a meeting with his Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner, that the ambition of the ministry he heads is to make Romania "a border protection standard."
"We will raise the border protection measures and continue the performance also on the action plan with Austria and on the pilot programme with Serbia, Hungary, the Republic of Moldova, Ukraine and the joint working plan with Bulgaria. I told the minister that we will make progress in these measures and I did not hide the fact that our ambition as a ministry is to make Romania a model, a standard of border protection," Predoiu told a press conference with the Austrian minister in Vienna, told Agerpres.
The Romanian official announced the signing, together with his Austrian counterpart Gerhard Karner, of a Dublin administrative agreement simplifying asylum procedures.
"I thank the minister for the joint signing of a Dublin administrative agreement that simplifies asylum procedures, which is in the interest of Romania, Austria and European border security. I believe that today we have laid a first stone in the foundation of a solid partnership that will lead us both, as quickly as possible, to the achievement of common interests and common objectives of each country. Together we have done a good job today and I am ready to further continue our work," said Catalin Predoiu.
Predoiu underlined that the discussions are a very good start for "a road of construction" on all the issues of interest.
"This is a very good start for both of us and for our ministries, we have taken this road with determination. (...) I am very happy to have had a good discussion with my counterpart, Mr Karner. I was honoured to lead these discussions, together with the Romanian Interior Ministry delegation and our ambassador in Vienna, discussions between two parties representing two friendly countries, partners, who share the same European values and ideals, who have a lot of economic interests, common objectives and a lot to build, together, further. This was also one of my objectives in this meeting, to turn a new page and to start building on all the issues of interest," Predoiu said.
He added that during the meeting he presented all the progress made by Romania, by the Interior Ministry structures, in the last period, in terms of border security.
"This progress exists in terms of the results of the border police, migration figures, but also, and very importantly, of the Romanian police on police cooperation with Austria in combating all forms of cross-border crime," said Catalin Predoiu.
He pointed out that migration is a serious issue and treated as such in Romania.
"Migration is a serious subject, we take it very seriously in Romania. We are convinced that other European countries take it seriously. We are ready to cooperate with the European Commission, with the member states and to have good results, as we have in joint programmes with Austria. Illegal migration and cross-border crime affect our citizens. We are aware of this and we will continue to take action, both on the ground and in terms of optimising the European Union's legislative framework on asylum and migration management and asylum procedures, optimising the Dublin framework. And we have established these things together," said Catalin Predoiu.
