During her official visit in Romania, Roberta METSOLA, EP President meets with Alina GHORGHIU, President of the Romanian Senate and Marcel CIOLACU, President of the Chamber of Deputies.

meeting

EU - Romania (T)

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

Romania

Bucharest

CIOLACU, Ion-Marcel (RO)

president's agenda

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Romania: meeting with Alina GHORGHIU, President of the Romanian Senate and meeting with Marcel CIOLACU, President of the Chamber of Deputies

Arrival of Roberta METSOLA, EP President at the Romanian parliament and official welcome handshake by Alina GHORGHIU, President of the Romanian Senate, 4 shots

Meeting with Alina GHORGHIU, President of the Romanian Senate, 5 shots

Meeting with Marcel CIOLACU, President of the Chamber of Deputies, 6 shots

Roberta METSOLA, EP President takes the floor

We pushed and worked around the clock. We came so close, but a final decision before the end of the year to ensure that Romania is able to fully join the Schengen area was not to be.

SOUNDBITE in EN, Roberta METSOLA, EP President I think it was the wrong decision to delay. Let me be clear Romania is ready to join the Schengen area. It has been ready. You have been ready for more than a decade. And let me be even clearer. Romania will join Schengen and will do so soon.

SOUNDBITE in EN, Roberta METSOLA, EP President If we can bring energy prices back under control, and I am convinced that we can that we can tackle the core issue fuelling inflation before the contagion reaches other sectors. And before the tsunami of catastrophes wipes value off people's assets and hits our banking, finance and housing sectors. We can protect Europe's competitiveness. We can save jobs. We can create better ones and give people a chance to really recapture the enthusiasm, some and hope that drove the first dream as to lay the foundations for Europe.

SOUNDBITE in EN, Roberta METSOLA, EP President We have faced corruption scandals that would have seemed seemed more at home on Netflix. It shook the basis of all we thought we knew. We are looking at people who have to be presumed innocent, of course, but who have allegedly accepted bags of cash from those linked to autocratic third countries. We have responded swiftly by ensuring full assistance with the judicial and law enforcement authorities, to ensure that the full course of justice is allowed to be taken. I said it before and I will say it again. There will be no impunity. None.

SOUNDBITE in EN, Roberta METSOLA, EP President Our Europe must remain a place where you can be who you wish to be, where your potential is not impacted by your status, your gender, your race, your religion, your sexual orientation or disability. Where we know no old and no new Europe, no big and no small Europe. A Europe where no one is above the law. A Europe where no one is left behind.

Cutaways from the chamber after speech, 3 shots