Erdoğan receives Romanian Prime Minister Ciolacu in Ankara

President Recep Tayyip Erdoan officially welcomed Romanian Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to the presidential complex in Ankara on Tuesday.

Ciolacu makes the first visit of the Romanian Prime Minister to Trkiye in six years, at the invitation of Erdoan. The two will hold bilateral talks on current regional and global issues such as the wars in Ukraine and Gaza and co-chair the first meeting of the high-level strategic cooperation council between their countries.

Erdoan and Ciolacu are expected to hold a press conference after the signing ceremony of several agreements. These agreements will include the implementation of social security, cooperation in urban planning and the possibility for members of diplomatic missions to access income-generating jobs. The agreements will also focus on positive cooperation in the areas of defence, transport, agriculture and tourism, and aim to increase mutual trade to $15 billion per year.

One of the main items on their agenda is the implementation of joint security initiatives that the parties have put in place in their region.

Erdoan and Cialocu will also discuss the development of cooperation in the defense sector and review expectations in the fight against terrorism.

Romania is Trkiyes' largest trading partner in the Balkans, with mutual trade volume reaching $10 billion over the past two years. Turkish investments in Romania exceed $8 billion if we include those from third countries. More than 4,000 Turkish companies are active in Romania, notably leading strategic projects in the construction sector.

Turkish-Romanian relations also maintain deep historical ties, particularly between Turkish and Turkish-Tatar citizens, who form a bridge of friendship between the two countries.

Trkiye has joint initiatives with its Black Sea neighbor and NATO ally on regional security. Along with Bulgaria, the three countries set up a task force earlier this year to clear the Black Sea of ​​floating mines laid by Russia at the start of the conflict almost two years ago. Some mines have since drifted into the waters of all three countries, endangering navigation and complicating Ukraine's efforts to break the Russian naval blockade.

The initiative, which will have a rotating command structure, will likely begin operating this month.

Trkiye and Romania upgraded their relations to the level of strategic partnership in December 2011 by their then presidents. Relations, which are part of a positive agenda, have gained momentum, especially after the recent increase in high-level mutual visits. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan was in Bucharest on January 31, followed by visits from Defense Minister Yaar Gler on April 24 and 25 and Vice President Fuat Ylmaz on April 25 and 26.

In another strengthening of bilateral relations, Trkiye granted visa exemption to Romanian citizens traveling for tourism and transit purposes.

According to a presidential decree published Tuesday in the Official Gazette, Romanian citizens holding an identity card will benefit from a visa exemption for “tourist and transit purposes” to Trkiye for a maximum of 90 days, every 180 days .

The decision was made in accordance with Article 18 of the Law on Foreigners and International Protection no. 6458, he adds.

The Sabah Daily News Bulletin

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