Headline: Presentation to the Parliament of the Report "EU Accession preparation – priority of the Romanian Government in 2005. Progress achieved, road map"
Prime Minister Calin Popescu– Tariceanu : "The European Agenda of the Government that I am leading was, is and will be built in a way that will enable us to fulfill our strategic objective: to become European citizens on the 1st of January 2007 !"
Address by Prime Minister Calin Popescu – Tariceanu on the presentation of the Report "EU Accession preparation – priority of the Romanian Government in 2005. Progress achieved, road map" before the reunited Chambers of the Parliament
Mr. President of the Senate ,
Mr . Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies,
Ministers,
Senators and Deputies,
I am honored to address today the Romanian Parliament.
Almost one year ago, you invested me with the position of Prime Minister. The mandate you entrusted me stands under the sign of European integration. I want to show you where Romania arrived on its way to Europe , now, at the end of one year of governance, and the action directions in 2006.
It is significant to make this presentation in the day the Parliament of Romania celebrates the Revolution of December 1989. In fact, it is by that time that we started this path!
The European agenda of the Government that I am leading was, is and will be built in a way that will enable fulfill our strategic objective: to become European citizens on the 1st of January 2007 !
Once, I have heard somebody saying: “You can listen to a politician, but not believe him”.
In fact, the difference between a statesman and a politician lies in the fact that the first has a political project that he translates into practice whereas the second is only talking about it.
As I have told it previously, my political project is to transform Romania into a European country! Each of my gestures, each of the decisions of the Government that I am leading has aimed or it has taken into account Romania 's European objective .
The results can be already perceived: Which was Romania 's situation in 2004 and which is the current situation?
In December 2004, when we took over the power, Romania was lagging behind regarding the integration.
Our friends pushed us into the European Union, but the former Government had other priorities than make reform or fight corruption.
Moreover, the congregation of PSD barons and the political clients system hindered any real step towards Europe . The accession negotiations have been closed on knees in order to have electoral ammunition .
I would like to point out that supplementary safeguard clauses have not been imposed to any other state except Romania .
Romania has concluded the negotiations having safeguard clauses on the fight against corruption, judiciary reform, borders' security and competition.
All in all, 11 supplementary conditions were introduced in order to close the accession negotiations. It was an elegant way by which the European leaders told the former Government:” We have opened the door for you, but you seem unable to enter!”
Through its obstinacy in not achieving reform, PSD was preparing Romania for the greatest failure from its post December history: the failure of EU accession. The vice –President of the European Commission, Mr. Franco Frattini has confessed me that by the end of 2004, he did not believe Romania would be able to recover the delays in the judiciary reform.
The things are completely different, further to the Government's twelve month mandate. As a comparison, one can say that in December 2005, Romania is alike a convalescent man, further to a serious disease: systematic parasite actions, corruption and the reforms' blockage.
Today, we return to normality ! For us, normality means the status of European country and the assumption of European values. In December 2005, Romania has entered a straight path towards the final objective of EU accession on the 1st of January 2007 .
On last week's European Council, Romania was included in the budget for 2007 -2013 period approved for those 25 +2 members, for the European Union. It is an eloquent proof that Romania 's accession is seriously considered.
We obtained a supplementation of the financial allocations as compared to previous budget variants of the British Presidency. This proves that our European partners take into account our positions and needs.
In 2005, we achieved three major successes:
1. We have regained our credibility ;
2 . We have freed the modernization process through profound reforms;
3. We have become active players within the European structures;
I. PROGRESS ACHIEVED IN 2005
1. Regaining credibility
We got accustomed to complaining about” Romania 's image abroad'. Every time, an ordinary citizen, or an official feels he is not fairly treated abroad, he resorts to this common place.
I believe no public relations or advertising company can remove from the Romanians' forehead the negative labels that were glued over the past 15 years, if no real changes occur at the level of the daily behavior of political leaders and citizens.
In a shop, you cannot endlessly sell a product that lacks quality, only because it is beautifully packed up.
I started from a simple principle: yours partners treat you the way you treat them . And I imposed this principle in the Government.
It is from it that all the other conduct rules of high level Romanian officials have derived:
• The first rule: Once the promise is made, it should be kept on time ! Either it is about commitments undertaken during the negotiations, or issues agreed during this year's discussions with the European Union! We have thus succeeded in recovering hundreds of delays of the previous years – among which the most eloquent being related to the judiciary reform, and to comply with the calendar regarding the European commitments for this year;
• The second rule: We acknowledge our weak points and we agree together with our European partners on the way to solve them ; The European Commission is a long run partner for us. And instead of deceiving it with beautiful words, we openly present the problems we still have to solve, and we work on them together.
• Third rule: We do not buy anyone's willingness ;
That's why, no doubtful contracts have been signed , in order to attempt, according to some perverted mentalities, to open the door of a foreign chancellery. Furthermore, we renegotiated the EADS contract and we obtained clearly favorable clauses to Romania . Through renegotiation, we saved over 400 million EUR, and the borders' security measures will be implemented before 2007.
The result speaks for itself: Romania has regained its credibility before its European partners!
This was confirmed by official decisions :
• On April 13th 2005 , the European Parliament gave its avis conforme for the signature of the EU Accession Treaty;
• On April 25th , the EU Accession Treaty was signed in Luxembourg . In 2005, the treaty was ratified by 8 states, and the ratification procedures have already started in many others;
• On October 25th 2005, the European Commission presented the best report ever made on Romania ;
• On December 16th 2005, The European Council included Romania within the 2007 – 2013 budgetary project ;
By the October Monitoring Report, the European Commission has recognized three fundamental items:
1. Romania's EU Accession in 2007 is fully achievabl e, because Romania has achieved enough progress in 2005 and has proved its political will to implement the European commitments.
2. Due to the reform measures taken this year in key areas of accession preparation, the judiciary reform and the competition are no more on the list of maximum attention fields;
3. Romania complies with the fulfillment of the European commitments and it has to accelerate the preparation efforts in seven fields marked with red flags. Only two of these fields might trigger the safeguard clause: borders' security and fight against corruption.
I am frankly telling you that now, we can go to Brussels in a dignified way ! We have convinced the Europeans that Romanians keep their promises . We have demonstrated that we do not wait for somebody's mercy. We have demonstrated that we have the strength to observe the European norms and commitments. Thus, we have changed the perception on Romania at the level of European structures.
On early December, we had a series of meetings in Brussels with European commissioners, with the president of the European Commission, the president of the European Parliament, and important political leaders. They all told me that the Monitoring Report has led to a positive change of attitude towards Romania .
In the current European context, dominated by negative vote given by the French and Dutch on the Constitutional Treaty, Romania would not have had any chance to join EU, if we had not behaved as honorable people. Those who have supported us so far, could not support us further on.
2. Reforms and modernization
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The observance of the European commitments brings about reforms meant to accelerate Romania 's modernization.
Romania has still a lot to recover . It is not only about the gap between the old EU members and the former Communist block. In our case, the delay of some fundamental reforms over the last 15 years has burdened and delayed the development and has led to a decrease in the living standards.
2005 was the year of real and profound reforms. We went along three strategic directions, that sustain the European integration process ;
• Economic reforms that allows the welfare reconstruction;
• Reforms meant to consolidate the rule of law;
• Reforms in the social field;
A. Economic reforms
At economic level, the Government that I am leading has strengthened the market economy and allowed the companies' development and the healthy increment of citizens' incomes. The flat tax and the fiscal discipline consolidation have been the main measures taken in this purpose .
The 16% flat tax has enabled the companies to re- capitalize and start development projects, in order to cope with EU market pressures, as of 2007.
Also, it has led to a 20% increment of the budget revenues, consolidated as compared to 2004, and to the population revenues' increment. As an example, in 2005, the average monthly salary earning has increased from 6. 070.000 ROL in October 2004 to 7.420.000 ROL in October 2005.
The Romanians' living standards will continue to rise, thus diminishing the gaps between Romania and the European states, once with EU accession.
The money collection from arrears recovery have increased with over 17% in 2005. This does not mean only budgetary revenues increment, but also the removal of the favoritisms from the market. We removed the re –phase of payments and taxes exemption that assured preferential conditions to party clients.
The Competition Council has strengthened its authority and involvement in the market, thus becoming a guarantee and a benchmark for free competition. We made the Authority for Public Procurement functional. In this moment, we renegotiate the Bechtel contract for it to comply with Romanian legislation.
I warn publicly that if the partner company does not understand that in such a contract the Romanian legislation and not its own interest prevails , then it runs the risk of losing the contract.
In the agriculture field, I have started reforms destined to prepare the agricultural sector for integration. The property reform, lands fusion, micro farms development would allow us to transform the subsistence agriculture into a competitive agriculture, compliant with the European standards.
The Ministry of Agriculture implemented the EU Acquis and it will continue this process. I am convinced that the red flags of the Monitoring Report will be eliminated in due time by the National Sanitary Veterinary Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture. Taking into account the delays that the Ministry of Agriculture has succeeded to recover so far, I have reasons to be optimistic.
B. Rule of law
Regarding the consolidation of the rule of law, I will further on refer to reforms that aimed at the elimination of three major threats to Romanian democracy:
First of all, we have started the first real and ample judiciary reform. The judicial authority will become again the third power in the state.
Democracy cannot exist without a free, independent and professional judiciary. The Romanian judiciary should be orientated towards the citizen, and not towards the political power. We have taken the legislative measures on this purpose, we have allocated the funds necessary to the achievement of reform in this field, the Ministry of Justice, being one of the main beneficiary of budgetary increments in 2005, 2006.
The Government has adopted a fair conduct towards the judiciary, assuring its independence.
We have not played with the political opponents' cases the way it was done in the past. I, personally have demonstrated that even a Prime Minister should behave as an ordinary citizen before the judiciary, and I went to the Prosecutor's Office when I was called as witness.
Secondly, we have concentrated on fighting corruption. Corruption ruins the democracy's root. It eliminates the equal opportunities and the competition. It creates castes, clans and political clients who sacrifice the democratic values to their own interests.
The judiciary reform that we have promoted creates the legal framework necessary to fight corruption. We have also taken sector measures, such as the setting up of the General Anticorruption Department within the Ministry of Administration and Interior, strengthening the competences of the National Anticorruption Department, or the customs' procedures simplification destined to reduce customs' corruption.
I have conveyed a consistent political signal: I do not tolerate corruption deeds within my team, or in subordinated bodies .
Thirdly, we assured the freedom of speech . We regulated the use of state advertising exactly to remove the possibility for the political power to buy the press' willingness.
I consider that a free and professional press is a barometer of democracy.
Also, we have taken into account the suggestions and criticisms expressed by the civil society.
I believe the Government has the duty to encourage the participation of civil society in the decisional act and not to avoid or undermine it, the way it happened in the past.
That's why, for example, we have decided that the public procurement legislation should be amended by a working group that comprises the civil society representatives.
C. Social reforms
This year's reforms have aimed at a third direction: social reforms.
We have started the education reform aiming at Romanian system's compliance with the European model. We have introduced the quality system in education; we reorganized the pre –academic and academic education, according to the European practices; we have taken measures for the rural education development.
We aim at preparing the future generations to be able to integrate into a European society
At the Government level, there is ongoing work on the legal framework necessary to implement the health system reform. We aim at assuring quality medical services to patient and eliminating the abuses and corruption within the system ; we cannot join EU with a corrupt sanitary system!
As Head of the Executive, I clearly state that I am preoccupied only with the interests of people, patients, and not with the interests of the sanitary system barons, medicines import and distribution firms, pharmacies' networks.
For the first time further 1990, we have brought back the equity in the pensions' system. It is important to think of pensioners' situation when speaking about the European Union. The EU values comprise solidarity and social inclusion, we are not allowed to sacrifice certain social categories.
3.Active players within the European structures
Distinguished members of Parliament,
The third major success achieved by Romania in 2005 derives from the newly acquired status of active players within European structures.
The signature of EU Treaty allowed Romania to participate as observer in EU institutions. Even if we do not have the right to vote, we could promote the national interests in all EU structures .
I participated along the President of Romania in the two European Council of this year. The Ministers and Secretaries of States participated in the Brussels ' working groups.
The Ministry of European Integration and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have contributed in the inter – institutional coordination in order to assure the unitary representation of Romania 's position within these structures.
Furthermore, the Ministry of European Integration has managed the internal coordination towards the fulfillment of accession commitments.
The dialogue with the European Commission and European Parliament's representatives, as well as with the representatives of other European forums has aimed at assuring the conditions for successful performance of accession preparation, as well as for the reflection of the progress achieved in the Commission's evaluations.
An important role in enhancing Romania 's presence within EU institutions was played by the Romanian EU Observers. Taking into account the signals received so far, I can say that the Romanian observers have succeeded in successfully complying with the working manner of the European Parliament.
I sincerely congratulate them for these results and I encourage them to continue. I personally involved in the dialogue with the group of Euro observers and I met them both in Bucharest and in Brussels .
The Government, through MIE( Ministry of European Integration) and MAE(Ministry of Foreign Affairs), is open to communicate to Euro observers the position elements in order to help them represent Romania 's interests in the European Parliament.
II. PRIORITY DIRECTIONS FOR 2006
Distinguished colleagues,
The Government that I am leading enters 2006 being aware that we are in straight line regarding the EU Accession. Only 12 months and a few days are still separating us from EU member status!
I assure you that we will remain realistic!
We know very well what we have to achieve, the order of priorities over the next period. I will speak about these items further on.
A. May 2006 Report of the European Commission
The first priority is for the European Commission Report of May 2006 to transform Romania's objective to join the EU on the 1st of January 2007 into a certitude.
What is to be done?
In simple words, I would tell that we have to accelerate the accession preparations!
Immediately further to the publication of the Monitoring Report, the Government has adopted a plan of priority actions, in order to fulfill the accession negotiations according to the EU agreed calendar.
We have structured our efforts on two plans:
First of all, until April 2006, we have scheduled the fulfillment of the measures signaled in the Monitoring Report with red and yellow flags, as well as of those with deadlines over that period. Secondly, until the end of 2006, we will continue the implementation of EU Acquis according to the European commitments.
Consequently, the first four months of the next year are decisive for Romania ! I launch an appeal in this respect to you, to all MPs, to pay a maximum attention to the draft laws of the integration portfoli o. There are draft laws submitted by the Government in different debate stages and which regulate in fact problems that have to be solved in the perspective of EU Accession.
Regarding the Government, I assure you that we will act at full speed!
I will provide you a few examples of fields that we will tackle with priority in 2006:
• Transposition of the new EU Acquis in the public procurement field; development of the administrative capacity of the public procurement Authority;
• Consolidation of the fight against counterfeits and smuggling in order to assure the copyright;
• Continuation of the agriculture reform and implementation of the sanitary veterinary protection norms, assurance of the food security;
• Taxation: IT systems inter –operability in the taxes field;
• Consolidation of the administrative capacity of all national, regional and local bodies that are involved in the use of structural funds.
• Environment protection improvement and diminishing of the industrial pollution;
The budget for 2006 comprises the sums necessary to implement all the measures stipulated in the Action Plan.
Regarding the two safeguard clauses, I am frankly telling you that in this moment I am mostly concerned with the one related to the fight against corruption. The signature of the EADS renegotiated contract allows the Government to implement all the commitments related to the borders' security assurance, even before the agreed deadlines.
Romania will assure the Eastern border security, according to European standards!
But the criteria according to which, the European Commission evaluates the fight against corruption depend too little on Government as of now . We have already taken the measures that depended on us, and we have given the adequate political signal.
The BERD and World Bank reports have shown that the perception on corruption has improved in 2005.
As of now, the state institutions should bear results for us to go ahead. The Prosecutor's Office and the Superior Council of Magistracy play perhaps the greatest role in the Romanian society's effort towards credibility;
Romania 's European future depends on the consciousness of each employee of the budgetary sectors. The petty corruption worries the European partners to an equal extent.
B. Ratification of the Accession Treaty
Distinguished colleagues,
I assure you that every progress that will be achieved by Romania over the next period will be rapidly communicated to our partners in Brussels and to EU member states. The Romanian diplomacy will involve in a sustained campaign meant to promote our country. You, the MPs can play a key role in this process and in this respect, I kindly ask you to act accordingly.
The effort of the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate within the parliamentary diplomacy is extremely important for us to fulfill the second priority objective for 2006: the ratification of the EU Accession Treaty by all EU member states.
As far as I ‘m concerned, I have pleaded for the Treaty ratification in all the official visits and meetings in the European countries.
I will continue to do it during 2006 too.
Continuation of Romania 's modernization process
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The EU Accession is a construction process . We have to deeply reform and to have vision. The reforms started this year will continue in 2006, because they are what Romania needs today.
They put in practice the vision that both I and the Government have about Romania 's transformation into a democratic, modern country, with a performance and competitive economy . This is the vision for Romania of tomorrow.
The European funds and Lisbon Agenda represent two major development opportunities, on which we will concentrate next year.
The European funds
Recently, the European Council has succeeded in reaching an agreement on the EU budget for 2007 – 2013 period . Romania will receive over these seven years, more than 30 billion EUR. The European Union has thus given us a real proof of trust in our capacity to use funds; of support in bridging gaps and of solidarity .
This money covers Romania's development needs. But, I have already stated it and I repeat it: the European Union grants us possibilities which depend on us to be capitalized .
So far, we have successfully managed the pre – accession funds: we have succeeding in obtaining a contracting rate for PHARE program of over 97%. It is a very good starting point on which we will continue building.
In 2006, we aim at consolidating first the institutional framework and the local and central administration preparation in order to be able to use rapidly and efficiently the structural and cohesion funds.
Lisbon Agenda
Certainly, the access to financing will help us reducing the gaps separating us from EU. But, we have other instruments too. The Lisbon Agenda provides us solutions to jump over stages, if we implement the reforms it implies. The stake is the investment in education, research and innovation, the emphasis on technology transfer.
The Government has already taken a step in this direction, rising the research budget by 80% and assuring funds of 1 billion EUR for education development projects in 2006.
I encourage the private firms to involve in it. In this field, Romania has the advantage of highly skilled human resources. Rather than leaving abroad for their value recognition, we would rather create opportunities for talented people in the country.
The assumption of Lisbon Agenda will allow us to become an even more attractive destination for investors. Result consists in better paid jobs and rapid rise of the living standards.
Distinguished MPs,
I assure you that the Government that I am leading has the political will to take all the steps necessary for EU Accession in 2007 and Romania 's accelerated modernization.
But, as I have already told it, the EU Accession does not depend only on Government. The Parliament, the judiciary, civil society, the press, each citizen, they all have a word to say.
Each of us can contribute to the acceleration or slowing down of the Accession Process, not only through great deeds but through simple , daily gestures we can make the difference.
Now, towards the end of a difficult year for Romania, leaving aside the political disputes between the majority and the opposition, we have to think of those values and norms that organize and define an European society. What role do they play, how important are they for us?
I reiterate before you now my mission as statesman: Romania will join the EU on the 1st of January 2007. I believe that the success of Romania's EU Accession depends in the end on the capacity of all Romanians to undertake the fundamental European values.
Thank you.
Government of Romania - Press office - 20.12.2005