Discussion with Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, Thomas Byrne

On the sidelines of the ALDE Party Congress, I had the pleasure of discussing our priorities with Thomas Byrne, Ireland’s Minister of State for European Affairs and Defence, in the context of Ireland taking over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 July.

Together with Dominic Fritz, President of USR, Oana Țoiu, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Diana Buzoianu, Minister of the Environment, and my fellow MEP Vlad Voiculescu, we discussed some of our priorities for the next six months, as well as Ireland’s objectives: the European Union budget, to ensure the resources needed for the development of Member States; EU enlargement; the European path of the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, a process that is essential for the stability and security of the entire continent, and the competitiveness of the European economy, which is crucial for our businesses and for strengthening our influence on the global stage.

We need a strong voice in Europe, and close cooperation with our partners in the ALDE Party and Renew Europe is essential to delivering tangible results for Romania.