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President Klaus Iohannis on Friday welcomed European Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace, showing that Romania supports enlarging the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, and voicing hope that in the future Ukraine and the Moldova will join it, told Agerpres.
According to the Romanian Presidential Administration, Iohannis welcomed the presence of the European Commissioner in Romania on this day of a special significance, one year after the beginning of Russia's aggression against Ukraine, and reiterated the need to continue supporting Ukraine and its population severely affected by the war, welcoming the joint coordinated effort on a European level.
Iohannis appreciated Romania's excellent cooperation with the European Commission in the area of civil protection and highlighted the establishment of the first stockpile of RescEU medicines in Romania during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the humanitarian hub in Suceava in support of Ukraine in 2022.
"President Klaus Iohannis emphasised the fact that the joint action of the EU member states under the EU Civil Protection Mechanism clearly reflected the solidarity and ability of the European Union to offer concrete help to European citizens and international partners. In this sense, the President of Romania showed that our country supports enlarging the Civil Protection Mechanism of the European Union, as it has proven to be essential in the joint crisis management response, voicing hope that in the future Ukraine and Moldova will be part of the mechanism."
Iohannis also reiterated the comprehensive actions undertaken by Romania in the field of humanitarian aid, in terms of managing the situation generated by Russia's aggression against Ukraine, as well as the aftermath of devastating earthquakes that recently occurred in Turkey and Syria, "which shows Romania's active contribution to the joint European Union efforts to provide aid."
He also spoke out for the creation as a priority at the EU level of a specific capacity for the fight against the effects of climate change, which would increase the resilience of the European Union in that area, taking into account the fact that several member states faced disasters over the last years.
Commissioner Lenarcic is quoted as congratulated Romania on its significant contribution and quick reactions regarding the response to the requests received under the European Civil Protection Mechanism, recalling both the provision of immediate aid to Ukrainian refugees and recently to Turkey and Syria in the aftermath of catastrophic earthquakes, but also in wildfires and floods.
He emphasised that Romania is very well prepared, with a strong profile at the European level in the field of civil protection, appreciating the country's excellent co-operation.
He added that the European Commission's recent communication on the EU's disaster resilience objectives is designed to support disaster prevention and preparedness and improve on the EU ability to deal with them in a comprehensive way.
According to the Presidential Administration, the European commissioner welcomed the involvement of the President of Romania in supporting efforts to strengthen the EU capacity to respond to disasters generated by climate change.
