Romania's accession to the Schengen area was discussed in Riga by the presidents of Romania and Latvia

The joint effort to support Ukraine and the solidarity of the Romanian-Latvian cooperation were highlighted, in Riga, by President Klaus Iohannis, in a joint press conference with his Latvian counterpart, Egils Levits. The visit of President Iohannis to Riga takes place in the context of celebrating 100 years since the opening of the first diplomatic mission. The two heads of state also addressed the issue of Romania's accession to the Schengen free movement area. Our messenger, Oana Bala, comes with details.

Correspondence from Riga - Reporter: Oana Bala - Romania was not, is not and will not be a country that allows uncontrolled migration through the illegal crossing of its borders, President Klaus Iohannis said in Riga, in response to the concerns expressed by the Austrian Chancellor regarding 75.000 people who would have crossed the European Union to Austria, without being registered. The head of state said that these data must be rigorously verified and specified that the minister of interior, as well as other Romanian experts, will explain to the Austrian side that these migrants did not pass through Romania, but on the Balkan route, of which our country is not a part of. President Klaus Iohannis believes that Romania's chances of joining the Schengen area in the coming months are high, because it has been preparing for this for 11 years. In his opinion, accession is not only not a vulnerability, but a real gain for the entire space of free movement.

On the other hand, the head of state mentioned that he informed his Latvian counterpart, Egils Levits, about Romania's intention to open an embassy in Riga and added that bilateral relations will be closer thanks to the growing trade and the resumption of direct, regular flights between the capital of Latvia and Bucharest, starting from May 1 next year. During the talks, the two leaders decided to continue the dialogue and cooperation on the security level, and the president of Latvia noted the common approach of the two countries regarding the future of the European Union. He also welcomed Romania's participation in the NATO air police mission in the Baltic countries from 2023.

Host: Today, Klaus Iohannis will be in Vilnius, on his official visit to Lithuania, and on Friday he will participate, together with his counterparts from Lithuania, Latvia and Poland, in a summit dedicated to strengthening NATO's eastern flank, supporting Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova, as well as combating disinformation and attempts to rewrite history.

Translated by: Radu Matei