Romania wants to give a new impetus to bilateral relations and develop a high-level institutional dialogue with Cyprus, Romanian Ambassador to Cyprus Dan Michalake said, ahead of Romania's National Day celebrated every year on December 1.
Speaking to the Cyprus News Agency, the Romanian Ambassador said that the administrative and consular support to the Romanian community in Cyprus is a very important component of the embassy's work, with the latest figures showing that there are about 46.000 Romanians currently registered in the country, not taking into account seasonal workers, especially during the summer, and those working in the occupied areas of Cyprus.
"Although this number may seem small compared to other diaspora communities abroad, it represents 5% of the Cypriot population and is the third largest ethnic group on the island," he added.
The Romanian community in Cyprus is a well-established and well-integrated community, Michalake continued, thanks to the support of both the state and the Greek Orthodox Church, and is made up of people who came mainly in the 1990s. Another group came before the 1989 revolution, mostly through marriages to Cypriots who studied in Romania, but the majority are members of the economic diaspora who came in the 1990s and 2000s in search of better opportunities, he added.
"Over time conditions have changed as the level of wages and the cost of living in the two countries are now similar, which means that the migration trend has almost stopped, with the exception of seasonal workers, mainly in catering and tourism," he said, adding that although some 10,000 people returned to Romania after the financial crisis and pandemic, Cyprus remains an attractive place to live.
In relation to the Romanian community's efforts to maintain ties with the country, the Romanian diplomat said that the younger generation faces similar challenges as members of the Cypriot diaspora, namely they need help to maintain their national identity as they may have difficulties in using their mother tongue or establishing personal ties with their country of origin.
The existence of Romanian schools throughout Cyprus is very useful in this respect, he stressed, adding that there are currently nine schools for children aged 5 to 14 years old that are run on Saturdays by the Romanian community in Cyprus, are partly funded by the Romanian state and are also supported by the public institutions in Cyprus.
Regarding bilateral relations between Romania and Cyprus, Mihalake said that they have been traditionally good since the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus in 1960, with Romania wishing to give them a new impetus.
During the 2000s, Romania focused on joining NATO and the EU and bilateral relations with Cyprus were seen through these objectives, he explained, adding that there are now many new areas of cooperation, such as information technology, where the two countries can help each other, and education, regarding which he said that in early 2023 a chair of Romanian language and culture will be established at the Cyprus University of Technology, which could be used as a means to strengthen cooperation between Romanian and Cypriot universities.
The Romanian ambassador also said that increasing economic exchanges between Romania and Cyprus have been noted, with a recorded increase of 50% between 2020 and 2021 and 35% in the first six months of 2022, adding that there is room for further cooperation in the fields of education and culture.
He also stressed that there are common policy points between the two countries also at the European level, adding that as very difficult times are approaching, the bilateral dialogue between Romania and Cyprus as partners in a very dynamic and changing EU can be an advantage for both countries.
"There will be many challenges in the future for the EU in terms of the internal organisation, policies and external relations of the Union and I believe that we can find common positions and unite our voices in the EU." Mihalake also said that the Romanian side plans to develop a high-level institutional dialogue with Cyprus during the next year, adding that there is an intention for a high-level visit of the Romanian President to Cyprus, as well as a high-level meeting between the Foreign Ministers of the two countries in order to define these common positions and draw up a future cooperation plan.
Regarding the Cyprus issue, Romania supports the position of the United Nations on the basis of international law and the legitimate demand of the Republic of Cyprus that international law be respected, the Romanian diplomat said, adding that the conflict in Ukraine highlights the need to respect the principles of international law. "In this respect, Cyprus will have our support in international institutions and within the EU," he stressed.
Regarding Ukraine, he said that although Romania is not particularly dependent on Russian gas, it remains at the forefront of the Western world, oriented towards the democratic values of the world and feels the pressure of Russian aggression, as it has extensive borders with its neighbour and access to the Black Sea, which is a very critical geopolitical region.
Romania received a large number of Ukrainian refugees, but not all of them remained in the country, he continued, adding that for now Romania is able to manage this migration wave economically, but as the situation deteriorates there may be flows that may exceed the humanitarian management capacities of the country and Europe, as millions of people move in and out of Ukraine.
As for NATO, the alliance's foreign ministers concluded a two-day meeting in Bucharest on Wednesday, one of the most important events for Romania this year, according to Michalake, which sends a clear message to Russia that the eastern side of the alliance is important, but also that the Black Sea is an important area not only for regional security but also for the entire continent.
On the latest developments regarding Romania's participation in the Schengen area, the Romanian ambassador said that the decision of the EU Council is expected on 8 December, as from a technical point of view the European Commission has recommended Romania's participation in the Schengen area, but there is still opposition from some member states, mainly from Austria and the Netherlands.
"What we have learned from the Schengen debate in recent months, and all Member States should bear this in mind, is that we are not dealing with objective criteria, but with various state interests and internal political conflicts, which is not very fair from the point of view of European solidarity. If we want to build a stronger Europe, solidarity and criteria should be applied."
Finally, asked about the main challenges and the main expectations of the country for the future on the occasion of Romania's National Day, Mihalake said that in the last thirty years Romania has followed a rapid process of change, in line with its ambition to become a modern European country.
He added that the partnership with the United States and its membership in NATO provides Romania with the element of security it has historically needed in this very complex geopolitical region, with the conflict between Russia and Ukraine next to Romania demonstrating how important it is for Romania to be a strategic partner for the United States and NATO.
"EU membership provides means to achieve economic and modernization goals, but we still need to work on reducing the gaps in infrastructure, economic growth and quality of life," he continued, adding that Romania should also promote its role within the EU, but also as a partner in traditional regions where it used to play a political role, such as the Middle East and North Africa, with Cyprus being an important element in this region.
"Romanians want to be proud to be Romanians in Europe and in the world, as partners and as a strong country in a very complex world."
Contents of this article including associated images are belongs Cyprus Times
Views & opinions expressed are those of the author and/or Cyprus Times
Source[/URL].
