Romania was mentioned by NATO and the European Union as a target of hybrid campaigns carried out by Russia. Oana Țoiu, the Foreign Minister, claims that there are now professional teams that manage to fight these attacks.
Oana Țoiu, Foreign Foreign Minister: Profimedia
“Romania is, at this moment, the target of hybrid attacks from the Russian Federation. Romania has long been the target of these attacks and we expect to continue to be. Romania is not a singular target. The same statements and the same analyzes were had Germany, to refer to the discussions I had during yesterday, but also the Czech Republic, the Republic of Moldova …“, This said, on Saturday evening, at Antena 3 CNN.
The Foreign Minister also stated that Romania must learn to diminish the impact of these attacks.
“Romania, however, must respond by institutional and societal resilience. It is not enough to say that we are the target of these attacks. We must make sure that we are getting better to reduce their impact. Already there are professional teams that work and manage to fight some of these attacks because they are not only at the level of the social-media conversation, there are cyber attacks that target the information, energy networks, which aim at the ability of institutions to function …“, Said Oana Țoiu.
Brussels or Washington?
Also, to choose between Brussels and Washington, the Foreign Minister replied: “Romania does not have to choose between these two relations … it is a tension at the level of commercial negotiation, in the defense area, but, after the NATO summit in The Hague, after the conversation of the will coalition, in the hybrid system, from Rome are very clear steps towards a defense area, a realization and within the NATO. But Romania should not choose between Brussels and Washington. The fact that we have this strong strategic partnership with the United States, their presence on the territory of Romania in the NATO bases, a powerful community of Romanians who have left in the US, in some cases for a long time, and are now a transatlantic bridge, puts us in a position to be one of the countries that can be friends with Washington within the European Union decisions.”.
Oana Țoiu also stated that “we must grow the commercial component” because “On the bilateral commercial size with the USA we are far below the potential”.
“One of the reasons why the negotiations on the rates now do not affect us much is that we have only 4% of exports to the US. However, it affects us significantly indirectly because we are important suppliers for the auto industry and, in the chain, the introduction of these rates can also have a significant effect on this industry in Romania. That is why we support firmer negotiations, in the EU umbrella, and hope to reach an agreement and not reach mutual imposition of much higher taxes“She added.
An official meeting between Nicușor Dan and Donald Trump is prepared
She also said she had discussions with Marco Rubio, the head of American diplomacy, to set an official meeting of Nicușor Dan with Donald Trump, at the White House.
“We have not established her calendar, but we will come back with the final data when it will be nailed. I arrive in the US in September, New York and Washington, including the stake to prepare the bilateral meeting between Donald Trump and Nicușor Dan. (…). Are still in work these discussions“, Said Oana Țoiu.
