Romanian and German president discuss Moldova, security

BUCHAREST, Romania – The presidents of Romania and Germany on Monday discussed regional issues including the situation in neighbouring Moldova and security concerns, ahead of a NATO summit in Warsaw.

President Joachim Gauck travelled to Romania and held talks with President Klaus Iohannis, a member of the country’s ethnic German community.

Iohannis said he discussed the Black Sea security situation with Gauck. NATO members Romania and Turkey want the alliance to have a fleet in the Black Sea, in the face of growing Russian influence, but another NATO member, Bulgaria, is opposed.

The German leader acknowledged that in Eastern Europe which used to be part of the Warsaw Pact, Berlin’s diplomacy toward Moscow was sometimes “seen in a critical light, because it is trying to open and maintain open doors for a dialogue with Russia. “

However, he said, “it’s not about defeatism or escapism but we do not want to run away from our responsibilities. We all know where the challenges come from. And we are firmly convinced that together with our partners and our neighbours from Eastern, Central and Southeastern Europe, we will find a common decision at the end of the summit.”

Gauck also mentioned the good trade relations between the countries. There are more than 8,000 companies with German capital in Romania, and Germany is the third-largest investor in Romania after Austria and the Netherlands.

Talks also touched on the former Soviet republic of Moldova, which signed an agreement with the European Union in 2014 that Russia opposed. Romania supports Moldova joining the EU.

The German leader also praised an anti-corruption campaign that has successfully prosecuted high-level corruption in recent years.

Gauck on Tuesday will visit the Transylvanian city of Sibiu, home to some of Romania’s 40,000 ethnic Germans.