Ruling party leader: Romania should have “special office” at US State Department

Romania should have a “special office” at the US Department of State, given the good relationship and the strategic partnership with the United States, Liviu Dragnea, the president of the ruling Social Democrat Party (PSD), said in a TV show, quoted by Mediafax. Dragnea explained that Romania wishes to have a very good relation with the United States, and the country offers its strategic position and the commitments assumed within NATO. The PSD leader argued that the country should collaborate well, economically and strategically, with Germany, France and Great Britain. Another good opportunity is the wish of the state of Israel to have close relations with Romania, he said. Dragnea also pointed to the economic potential of a collaboration with China. The PSD president previously said that the current government would work to strengthen the partnership with the United States. At the PSD extraordinary congress this past weekend, Dragnea argued that Romania followed its military commitments and now would like to see the economic benefits. “We have a very good partnership on defense but I believe that this country, Romania, has the right to benefit from an economic component. We followed all the military commitments, now we would like to have economic benefits,” Dragnea said, quoted by News.ro. “We, not someone else, have fulfilled the 2% for defense objective. We do not want this 2% to leave the country, we want the large part of the military equipment to be produced in Romania,” Dragnea said. Last year, Romania increased the spending on defense from 1.5% of the GDP to 2% of the GDP, placing first in the region with this. It maintained the percentage when planning the 2018 budget, and allotted RON 18.1 billion (EUR 3.9 billion). At the end of 2017, Romania made the payment for the first Patriot missile system, worth USD 766 million. Romania will buy more Patriot missile systems as well as helicopters and armored vehicles from US companies. Trade volume between US and Romania reaches historic high editor@romania-insider.com