The de-mining action in the Black Sea carried out jointly by the naval forces of Romania, Turkey, and Bulgaria will begin shortly, Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu said on Tuesday.
The Romanian prime minister made joint statements with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the end of the official meetings held at the Presidential Palace in Ankara.
“Both Romania and Turkey have significant energy investments in the Black Sea. Therefore, it is very important that our countries act together to ensure security in the Black Sea and protect these investments,” Ciolacu said.
“In this regard, I would like to welcome that, shortly, the de-mining action in the Black Sea will be operationalized jointly with the naval forces of Romania, Turkey, and Bulgaria,” he added.
This is the first time that the allies bordering the Black Sea have decided to jointly address a serious security and safety problem for shipping.
He also congratulated President Erdoğan for Turkey’s contribution to regional security, praising “his leadership and vision.”
“Turkey’s outstanding efforts made possible an agreement on the transit of Ukrainian grain through the Black Sea, which was subsequently taken over by Romania. I want Romania and Turkey to continue to work together, both in terms of assistance to Ukraine and in what will be involved in post-war reconstruction,” Ciolacu said.
He also mentioned his discussions with the Turkish president on the situation in the Middle East. “We discussed the situation and we agree that we are facing a human tragedy in Gaza. It is our duty, as people first and foremost, to provide humanitarian assistance in the Gaza Strip and to help stop the loss of civilian lives,” Ciolacu said.
The Romanian prime minister also outlined the steps Romania will take to facilitate dialogue between Turkey and the European Union, both as a candidate for accession and a co-operative partner on immigration.
