ENPI: Strategic energy issues to the fore as Barroso hosts Moldovan and Romanian Prime Ministers
European Commission President José Manuel Barroso has held a groundbreaking meeting in Brussels with the Prime Ministers of Romania and Moldova, discussing ways to deepen cooperation and interconnections, with a focus on the strategic issue of energy interconnections.
“I think today is a great première,” Barroso said after his meeting with Romanian Prime Minister Victor Ponta and his Moldovan counterpart Iurie Leancă. “It's the first time - since I can remember - that we have a meeting between the Commission, the government of one of our Member States and the government of such a close partner and friend that we are expecting to become politically associated and economically integrated with the European Union.”
The meeting was also attended by EU Energy Commissioner Günther Oettinger with the strategic issue of energy interconnections the main focus of the meeting.
Stressing that energy security and diversity of energy supply was of the utmost importance, both for the EU and its neighbours, Barroso said the talks had made significant progress on identifying a priority list of joint energy interconnection projects and how they could be made a reality on the ground. MORE