Mr. President of the Senate, Chairmen of the two Committees, Prime Ministers, I have noticed with delight that there are three former Prime Ministers in the foreign policy committees.
Ladies and gentlemen,

First of all, I want to thank you for the fact that today, we have this meeting and this opportunity. I think it is a step towards a new type of relations between Parliament and Government, including regarding the foreign policy decisions, a step towards strengthening those relations, in the sense of cooperation in decision –making and consultation. We are here today, in front of you, not with a decision proposal, but with an information report and probably, a discussion with you, people with much experience, most of the committee members, about a point – how to define it? – delicate, difficult on the foreign policy agenda of Romania and Europe.
Surely, when it is about foreign policy decisions, there are three important factors: the President, the Government and the Parliament. This is why, when I say that today, it is not about making a decision; I referred to the presence of all the three Constitutional actors. But, really, an open discussion with foreign policy committees’ lawmakers, on the Kosovo status, the relation between Romania and Serbia in this area, is extremely useful so that the Government, the Foreign Ministry, me as Prime Minister to be able to gradually develop a certain strategy and policy, in accord with the Romanian Parliament and the President of Romania.
As you probably know, there are developments regarding this topic, in the sense that the Foreign Minister presented you the situation: in this moment, at European level, there are still five states that have not recognized the independence status of Kosovo, Romania counting among them. I had in Bucharest discussions including on this topic, with Prime Minister of Serbia, Mr. Dacic, next week, in Bratislava, one of the point of discussion with Prime Minister of Slovakia, Mr. Fico will be in the same respect.
The Romanian diplomacy, according to the decision President –Prime Minister, and a resolution adopted by Parliament, observed each time the decisions at political level. We still are, in the end, in a continual adaptation to the European and world political situation and the idea to have this discussion with the reunited committees- being an important political topic, I requested the President Antonescu, to be present and I think it is very good – it is exactly to know if Romania goes in a certain direction or if, it remains inflexible on a stance it undertook some years ago. There is an extremely large variety of opinions: from the opinion of one side of never recognizing Kosovo until that of the other side, towards which I drew close personally, that of having in Romania, a position coordinated with our European and transatlantic partners and to have in the end, an acceptance of a reality.
But these cannot be decided only by a Government, cannot be decided only by President, but only by Parliament. I discussed these views with the President of Romania. I think today, a discussion, starting from the technical reality – which I will ask kindly the Foreign Minister to present briefly – and following today’s debates, we will eventually know where we are heading to, and the speed (…).

 

Statements by PM Victor Ponta on the Kosovo independence recognition issue

It was not about making a decision, but I established that we will make a working group – Ministries, service providers of the Foreign Ministry and the two foreign policy committees – on this issue, so that we inform each time regarding a new development on this issue. I further established that it is not a taboo topic, but one we have to discuss about. There are views. I want to tell you that, clearly the members of the committee who took the floor – people with lot of experience, former Prime Ministers, Foreign Ministers – they had views, and all this discussion is a support for me and the Foreign Affairs Minister. It is about a special situation, in which the three institutions – Parliament, Government and Presidency – should coordinate themselves in their current positions.

Reporter
Will there be ready a position until the European Council?

PM Victor Ponta
No, it is not necessary. The position until the European Council is the one already announced, Romania’ supporting Serbia to receive a date for the start of accession negotiations to the European Union. From Romania’s view, the quicker integration of Serbia – and not only of Serbia but of the other states in the Western Balkans represent a strategic objective and Romania backs unconditionally the integration of Western Balkans in the European Union. The European Union, without these last states is not complete in the end.

Reporter
We will await or not that Serbia recognizes Kosovo, to do it in our turn?

PM Victor Ponta
That would be a bit ridiculous, to remain after Serbia, nevertheless..

Reporter
Which would be the signal awaited by Romania to recognize Kosovo, which is the best signal?

PM Victor Ponta
No, it is here about a discussion and a political consensus, I repeat President – Government – Parliament. So far, look, there has never be discussed openly this track of Romania and I think it was extremely beneficial to me the discussion with members of the foreign policy committees.

Reporter
Do we take into account Transnistria too, when we report to something particular, what position to have on Kosovo, since one is related to the other?

PM Victor Ponta
I hope not. It is not at all linked one to the other.

Reporter
Precedent.

PM Victor Ponta
We speak here about a European position and we speak nevertheless about Kosovo, whose independence was recognized by more than one hundred states, including the majority of European Union and Transnistria where as I know, is not by far the same thing.

Reporter
A domestic policy issue, related to the pure uninominal. I wanted to ask you if you discussed with the PNL partners about this solution and if it is agreed in USL.

PM Victor Ponta
No, there are many possibilities. It is important that what we agreed is the fact that we want to have this year the electoral law passed, the electoral system as well, as the time not be wasted. As time passes, it becomes increasingly difficult to amend it. This position …is in fact the bill submitted last year by Mr. Antonescu and mine, if there is no majority for it, we go towards the next step. But the first option, not the only, cannot be renegotiated here, the first option of the Social Democratic Party is the law we promoted last year and we passed it, because it was less than one year before elections. There are now three years, therefore, it would not be a problem.

Reporter
Nevertheless, until not long ago, you spoke about the vote on lists at the Deputies’ Chamber and uninominal vote, at the Senate.

PM Victor Ponta
There are more variants.

Reporter
…

PM Victor Ponta
I have not changed my mind. I repeat, this is the draft law I filed last year, and I voted it. The issue is not only for PSD to want it. If there is no majority for our first option, we go to the next: proportional vote only at one of the Chambers. We hope it passes. If no, we pass to the third.
(…)

Reporter: You had a meeting today with Prince Charles at the Art Collections Museum? What did he say? How have you found the museum?
PM Victor Ponta: No, I was very grateful that he accepted this proposal of mine. We had a meeting set at Victoria Palace, as indeed, I know he was at the Cotroceni Palace to meet the President. And I proposed to Prince Charles's staff not to make a classical appointment at the Victoria Palace and talk, but to take advantage of his presence to open together after many years - in this formula, all three buildings, it was not since 1986 - Art Collections Museum. Basically, by his presence, not only I saw for the first time probably masterpieces of Grigorescu, Tonitza, Petraşcu, but we both promoted the museum and hope for tonight, tomorrow, to be more and more visitors, because, for many years, they could not be seen these works of art. And I thanked him - again, his presence gave a helping hand to promote the Museum Collections.
Reporter: On the topic of today, on Kosovo, when are you going to discuss with the President?
PM Victor Ponta: I have already discussed with the President, we had an informal discussion, I will inform him of what was discussed today in the foreign policy committees and we will coordinate all the time. Because here things are related to three institutional actors - the President, Government and Parliament - and the positions of the three institutions should be coordinated. Even if, I'm rather in favor of a rapid process of recognition, the President is more cautious than me, ministers, former foreign ministers have their views. It is important that Romania have a coordinated position primarily within its institutions, to coordinate with our European and transatlantic partners, and everything we do must not affect in any way - I care deeply about this – the exceptional traditional relationship that Romania had with Serbia. Therefore, I had a meeting today with the foreign policy committee, after meeting with Prime Minister Dačić at Victoria Palace: because I did not want to do in reverse chronological order and I did not it to be considered a sign of unfriendliness towards Serbia. Eventually, Serbia is one of our neighbors with whom we always had extremely good relations.
Reporter: Have you set a deadline by which Romania must take a position?
PM Victor Ponta: No, no, it was not to set a time today, it was about to start talking and inform. Because this is not just about recognition - that is a final and radical decision. There is the question that in many situations the Foreign Ministry, our line ministers have to vote in a certain way, to accept the presence of Kosovo representatives in a certain formula. And I said in the Committee: Serbian Prime Minister met 11 times with the Prime Minister of Kosovo. I, if we ever meet somewhere at an event, I hope I do not have to get up and run from the room, not to appear as if I recognized Kosovo. So, we have to be flexible and pragmatic.
Reporter: Next week prior to Bratislava, will be the visit to Berlin?
PM Victor Ponta: I let you know. Thank you.