Romania’s president: I will support the creation of an economic recovery fund for all EU member states

President Klaus Iohannis has said he will attend a video conference with members of the European Council on Thursday to discuss the joint roadmap on economic recovery.

This document sets out a set of principles, which will be at the forefront of the future economic recovery plan, and also includes the main directions for action that would be included in the plan, the president said.

„One of the objectives is to ensure a strategic autonomy of the EU, and here I am referring to certain sectors such as health. (…) Another objective is to ensure a massive investment program, focused on consolidating key industries and relaunching the hard-hit industries and services”, said Klaus Iohannis.

He added he would support the creation of an economic recovery fund.

„I will support the creation of an economic recovery fund that can benefit all member states as an additional tool to the support measures previously taken at European level. This instrument must be complementary to the funding from the future Union budget for 2021-2027 and be used for the real sectorial needs of the member states, and here I am referring to the medical and economic sectors”, Iohannis added.

The president said that so far the support provided by the EU to Romania reaches 1,5 billion euros. Otherwise, 750 million euros are funds to support SMEs, 350 million for the purchase of medical equipment, 300 million for technical unemployment, 120 million risk incentives for healthcare professionals, and 30 million are for social workers. The president said that all these funds are available now and will be used by the Ludovic Orban Government.