Bucharest, Feb 4 /Rompres/ - Romania's Parliament adopted on February 4, with 387 fors, a con and an abstention, the Law on the ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, of modification of the Treaty regarding the European Union and of the Treaty of creation of the European Community, with Romania the 4th EU member state to ratify the Lisbon Treaty, after Hungary, Slovenia and Malta.

The rapid ratification of the Reform Treaty of the European Union is a clear political signal that Romania genuinely supports the development of the European project, said PM Calin Popescu-Tariceanu, at the beginning of the meeting of the joint chambers of the Romanian Parliament, before the MPs who were to debate the ratification of the Treaty.

'The vote in the Romanian Parliament is historic. It is more than a festivity, it marks a stage, ' Tariceanu said. He stressed this is a first stage for Romania in the EU, having a chance to contribute to the negotiation and the building of this treaty. It is the first European treaty signed by Romania as a EU member state, and 'symbolically, it is the first document of an enlarged Europe, negotiated and signed in a EU 27 format.

'Once Parliament ratifies it, we can say it is the first European treaty Romania contributes to, in line with its interests, and no longer in a position to take over and sign what others negotiated and decided,' Tariceanu said.

In his opinion, the document allows the EU to enter a new stage in its development, getting rid of a deadlock.

'The institutional deadlock means stagnation, transient solutions and increased difficulty in building long-term projects, which bring real well-being. The reform in the Treaty of Lisbon makes the EU overcome the deadlock. The instruments involved in the Treaty are such as to give good, efficient answers to problems affected the everyday life of people, such as the challenges of globalization, energy security, social problems, the increased security of citizens, ' Tariceanu said.

The development of projects apt to respond to such problems means the building of a 'Europe of concrete results' for citizens, with Romania able to contribute to such a Europe, in the opinion of the prime minister.

Tariceanu said that the provisions of the Constitutional Treaty, ratified when the EU Accession Treaty was ratified, were taken over in the Lisbon Treaty, but the Lisbon Treaty has value-added.

Among the most important aspects for Romania, there is the creation of a more efficient, more democratic Europe, with higher representativeness at world level.

Tariceanu believes the Reform Treaty significantly improves the EU's working and its capacity to make swift and efficient decisions in the interest of its citizens. Among the new instruments and mechanisms created by the Reform Treaty, there are the qualified majority vote, the provisions regarding the membership and the consolidated role of the European Parliament, the provisions on energy security, climate changes, the management of natural disasters, the fight against terrorism, the existence of a High Representative for External Affairs and Security Policy.

'An important aspect, of interest for Romania, is the principle of energy solidarity among the member states, stipulated for the first time in a European treaty. The document allows the EU Council to adopt solutions when the member states face difficulties in point of energy supply, ' Tariceanu also said.

The implementation of the Reform Treaty will make Europe more secure, it will fortify the EU as a space of security, freedom and justice, said Tariceanu, adding that the treaty consolidates democracy in Europe, he referred to the Basic Rights Charter and the higher role of citizens in European affairs.

Tariceanu believes it is important for the process to be completed at European level according to schedule, with the European elections in 2009 marking the start of the operation of the Union in a consolidated institutional framework.

According to the head of the Romanian Government, 'the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon by Romania is an important progress for us and for Europe, too. By our involvement in this project, we have already proven the solid commitment to the European cause. We have proven we have the capacity to constructively promote our interest, in a manner similar to the general European interests. We can be proud that we took part in such an exercise, which strengthened our European profile. Romanian citizens can be certain that their interests are promoted at European level'. 'The coming into force of this document will allow us to enter a new stage of progress, beneficial for both Romanians and the other EU citizens,' Tariceanu believes.