Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu meets Marina Wes, regional director of World Bank for EU

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu meets Marina Wes, regional director of World Bank for EU

Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu had a meeting on Thursday, at the Victoria Palace, with a World Bank (WB) delegation led by Marina Wes, regional director for the European Union, in the context of preparations for the next Country Partnership Framework (CPF) with the international financial institution, told Agerpres.

According to a press release sent by the Government, Marcel Ciolacu congratulated Marina Wes for taking over the current mandate within the WB and wished her much success. He also thanked her for the message of support and solidarity sent after the tragedy in Crevedia, on this occasion expressing his appreciation for the assistance that the World Bank provides to Romania in the field of emergency situations and regarding the construction of treatment centers for burnt people.

"We express our interest in continuing and strengthening cooperation, including in terms of supporting actions aimed at fulfilling the measures undertaken through sectoral reforms, such as the pension reform", declared Ciolacu, emphasizing that the World Bank Group represents a strategic partner for Romania.

The Prime Minister also welcomed the involvement of the World Bank Group in the region and, in particular, in Romania, by providing expertise and financial resources intended to ensure, under advantageous conditions, the financing of the liquidity needs of the budget, simultaneously with supporting the implementation of structural reforms, including those envisaged by the PNRR.

"Regarding the maintenance of macroeconomic balances in the context of the current geopolitical dynamics with economic implications, requiring sustained and coordinated efforts at the level of the authorities, including with the other states in the region, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu showed that the Government of Romania is in dialogue with the European Commission, in order to establish by mutual agreement the optimal approach. On this occasion, the head of the Government appreciated the concern of the World Bank Group in terms of aligning its actions with those undertaken at the level of the European Commission and ensuring complementarity with them. At the same time, Prime Minister Ciolacu showed that the definition of policy options in the next Country Partnership Framework must take into account the results of a dialogue and a public consultation as wide as possible, correlated with the objectives defined in the government program and those pursued by Romania as a member state of the European Union", the press release also states.

The World Bank officials highlighted the close collaboration with the partner ministries in Romania, appreciated the successes of our country and reiterated the intention of deepening the collaboration for an inclusive, ecological, prosperous and resilient Romania, the Government says.

Along with Marcel Ciolacu, Marcel Bolos, Minister of Finance, Adrian Caciu, Minister of Investments and European Projects, and Simona Bucura-Oprescu, Minister of Labor and Social Solidarity were present at the meeting.

The delegation led by Marina Wes also included Anna Akhalkatsi, country director for Romania and Hungary, Reena Badiani-Magnusson, head of the program for equitable growth, finance and institutions, and Rafael de Hoyos, head of the program for human development.