Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Muresan called on Wednesday for a strong partnership with the US and for support for Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.

Muresan underscored the importance of a 'strong' Romania in the European Union and NATO, a Romania that protects its citizens, 'honours its commitments' and has 'a say' in all decisions that concern it.

'The partnership with the US must be as strong as possible. I will personally work to ensure the closest possible cooperation between Romania and the US, both in security and in the economy, on terms that are favourable to Romania. We will continue to support Ukraine, because supporting Ukraine means supporting Romania. Ukrainians are fighting today against a Russia that threatens our entire region. The more capable Ukraine is of defending itself and the further it keeps the Russian aggressor from our border, the safer we are here in Romania,' he said in the joint plenary sitting of Parliament.

Moreover, Romania will be the main supporter of the Republic of Moldova's swift integration into the European Union.

'I want the Republic of Moldova to become a fully-fledged EU member state as soon as possible. I have worked towards this for 12 months in the European Parliament,' Muresan said.

Romania's security also depends on the strength of the alliances it is part of, the prime minister-designate underscored.

'The world has become more dangerous in the recent past, and it is our duty to tell people the truth and ensure they are prepared. The dictatorships around us cooperate, provide each other with political support and financing, exchange technology to weaken our democracies, learn from each other how to control information and systematically seek to weaken our democracies. In response, we, the democracies, must cooperate even more closely. Romania's security also depends on the strength of the alliances we build,' Siegfried Muresan said.

The Senate and the Chamber of Deputies convened in a joint sitting on Wednesday to vote on the governing programme and the list of ministers proposed by Prime Minister-designate Siegfried Muresan. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Irinela Visan; EN - writing by: Rodica State)

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