(story to be published in tomorrow’s issue, March 17)
Premier Mugur Isarescu is likely to leave on Monday for Brussels to personally deliver Romania’s medium-term economic development Strategy. The strategy was to be discussed during Government’s yesterday session, after the Premier on Wednesday again met with trade unions, representatives of exporters and of the Trade Chamber and with former Prime Minister Theodor Stolojan, agreeing that the document should comprise only the economic targets accepted by all partners. At the end of this week, the joint Statement through which dialogue partners agree on the aspects to be included within the Strategy will be signed. Romania’s chief negotiator in relation with the European Union, Aurel Ciobanu Dordea, on Wednesday told Mediafax news agency that the Premier might meet the President of the European Commission Romano Prodi, on the occasion of his presenting the strategy. The chief of Romanian diplomacy Petre Roman will lead the delegation of the Romanian Ministry for Foreign Affairs during the annual session of Romania-European Union Association Council to take place on March 21 in Brussels. The Romanian delegation will present at the same time the main coordinates of the medium-term economic strategy. It will also present the main measures had in view for tightening control at customs points and for aligning the policy and procedures on visa granting to standards within the Schengen space. Leaders of parliamentary parties who are to sign the Statement to accompany the Strategy request that its detailed form, which is to be ready by May 15, should be approved by the Parliament and that a permanent body should be set up to monitor its application, government sources say.