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Prime Minister Viorica Dancila said on Tuesday that Romania is ready to take over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU) and that she will convince European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker and the members of the College of Commissioners of this.
"In preparation for the takeover of the EU Council Presidency, in line with the practice already in place at the level of the member states, the Government of the member state that is to take over the Presidency of the Council will pay a working visit to Brussels to attend this meeting of the College of Commissioners. The aim of the meeting is to present the main directions of the priority program in view of Romania's taking over the rotating presidency on 1 January 2019, followed by an exchange of views with the College members on European topics. I am convinced that at the meeting we will have tomorrow, we will persuade both the President of the European Commission and the College of Commissioners that Romania is ready to take over the Presidency of the EU Council, both logistically, organizationally and also from the point of view of the governing program, an ambitious but realistic governing program, Dancila told private TV broadcaster Romania TV on the phone.
She mentioned that all ministers also have meetings with the heads of committees in the European Parliament, with rapporteurs in important files, with commissioners and representatives of the General Secretariat of the Council. Dancila said that Transport Minister Lucian Sova is also present in Brussels, although he resigned and she revoked him from office.
Viorica Dancila and the Cabinet members are on a working visit to Brussels on Tuesday and Wednesday to attend the joint meeting of the Romanian Government and the European Commission. Wednesday's agenda includes meetings with European Commission President Jean Claude Juncker, with members of the College of Commissioners and with EU Council Secretary General Jeppe Tranhlom-Mikkelsen.
