President Dan meets Austrian Chancellor Stocker

   President Nicusor Dan and Federal Chancellor Christian Stocker emphasized, on Saturday, the interest of both parties in opening a new chapter in the bilateral relationship, through a political dialogue and sustained economic cooperation and through close coordination at the European level, the Presidential Administration informs.The meeting between the two was included in the agenda of President Nicu?or Dan's official visit to Austria.The Romanian President and the Austrian Chancellor highlighted the common desire to further encourage trade ties and investments in order to better respond to current economic development needs.The meeting provided the opportunity for an exchange of opinions on the status and prospects of Romanian-Austrian relations and current issues on the European and international agenda.Nicusor Dan expressed his appreciation for the contribution of Austrian capital to the development of the Romanian economy and emphasized the interest both in a more sustained presence of Romanian companies on the Austrian market and in expanding cooperation, through joint projects, in the neighborhood, namely in the Western Balkans, the Republic of Moldova or Ukraine.Issues related to ensuring energy security by improving interconnection between countries in the region were also addressed.At the regional level, the two leaders discussed capitalizing on the potential offered by the Danube, both in terms of transport and connectivity, and from the perspective of the reconstruction of Ukraine.The President of Romania and the Chancellor of Austria also discussed the importance of continued support for the Republic of Moldova, including through political, financial and technical support.They also expressed firm support for advancing the enlargement process in the Western Balkans, considering this step essential for regional stability."The Salzburg meeting reconfirmed the commitment of both parties to close cooperation within the European framework, in the spirit of solidarity and the promotion of the European Union's role as an influential and competitive actor at the global level," the Presidential Administration also points out. President Dan was on an official visit to Austria, accompanied by his family.On the first day of his visit, on Friday, he told a joint press conference delivered with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen that "after a relatively tense period", a new chapter is opening in the relationship between the two countries. He also said that among other things, their discussion also focused on bilateral economic relations and the Danube Strategy, which represents an excellent economic opportunity for the countries along the Danube.