PM Victor Ponta: Good morning! I would like to greet with all friendship the presence in Bucharest of the Prime Minister Ivica Dačić.
Serbia is a neighbor and a traditional friend of Romania, an important political and economic partner for us, in the region. I want to thank for the extremely warm way in which I was received by Prime Minister Dacic in Belgrade. I am very glad to have the occasion, to meet in Bucharest a Prime Minister and a friend, and I seized this opportunity to discuss the regional, bilateral and European cooperation issues. I wanted to express publicly too my admiration and support for the efforts that Prime Minister Dacic and the Serbian Government is making for the modernization and Serbia’s connection to the European integration process.
On behalf of the Romanian Government, I want to express my full support for the start of the negotiation process regarding Serbia’s accession to the European Union, and on the basis of our friendship, I offered the support of our institutions, our experience – sometimes positive, other times –negative – in the pre-accession process and Romania will be ready to provide any support necessary to Serbia, for it to meet all procedures as soon as possible.
I have also commended the courage and determination of the Serbian Government, especially of Prime Minister Dacic on developments in relations between Belgrade and Pristina, and the agreement signed in Brussels. It is in Romania and the whole region’s interest to have stability and cooperation in our region. Romania will always remain a true friend of Serbia and at the same time, we will back all the efforts of the Serbian Government to normalize relations and putting these relationships in the region on a constructive track. On this occasion, the presence of Serbian Prime Minister in Bucharest, I want to express my satisfaction for the positive developments of the other countries neighboring Romania.
I am very happy and congratulated the new prime minister, the new Government in neighboring Bulgaria, stable and friendly Governments, Romania, Serbia, Bulgaria, are absolutely necessary for our regional relations, and special satisfaction, and all the congratulations for the new Government and the new Prime Minister of the Republic of Moldova, Mr. Leancă for the option expressed by Parliament in the Republic of Moldova, for a pro-European Government. I think, along with Prime Minister Dacic, Prime Minister Oresarski, the Prime Minister Leancă, all other heads of government in the region, young and pragmatic, we can work better and develop the region. Once again, welcome Prime Minister Dacic and I want to assure you that in Bucharest, Serbia will always have just friends. Thank you!

Prime Minister Ivica Dačić: I want to express my great satisfaction for my visit to Romania and, thus, confirm once again those strong traditional relations that exist between our peoples and countries. Of course I meet my friend and counterpart, Mr. Ponta, to make plans, how to continue our cooperation in the future. There are some major problems. Of course, Romania and Serbia should have, and be in constant contact, with information about everything what is happening in the region, and to exchange information on all current issues across the region. The stability of this region is very important for the whole Europe.
And therefore, I fully understand the situation of Romania and the pressures on it, for its principled position regarding Kosovo. Be convinced that Serbia wants Kosovo issue to be resolved as quickly as possible, and acceptable solutions to be found for both sides and that all together to turn our looks to the future - and this is the true value of the agreement that we signed in Brussels. On the other hand, there will be very important for us, Romania’ support for Serbia’s integration into the EU. We expect Serbia to get a date for the start of negotiations. All criteria related to domestic politics, dialogue with Pristina and other criteria, regarding the domestic situation are met. We also want to strengthen all the economic, cultural and other type ties.
Romania is a very important trading partner for Serbia. It ranks the third among EU countries in terms of trade with Serbia, just Germany and Italy are ahead of it. And these trade exchanges are higher than 1.5 billion EUR. Our interest is to have larger trade exchanges, and develop joint projects together and finally, I would say, as a friend, we must discuss directly about open problems, if any. And therefore, Serbia considers, given the very good relations they have with Romania, that there should be no problem related to the Romanian national minorities in Serbia, respectively Serbian ones in Romania. I also believe that the issue of Vlachs should not be a problem ... to create problems, but that must be resolved. We made some steps in education, in the field of information. We also expect that our church leaders, fraternal and Orthodox churches, both to openly discuss the issue of Vlachs in eastern Serbia. In any case, even ten years ago when I was visiting Romania, I heard that Romanians say that Romania has two friends: the Black Sea and Serbia. We unfortunately do not have sea, but , instead, we have Romania. So, I hope that our friendship will be the key to stability in the Balkans.