Victor Ponta starts the state visit in the U.S.

The state visit Romania’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta announced that will pay to the United States of America starts today. His visit was initially scheduled for an earlier date, but it was delayed due to the recently-ended budget crisis the U.S. passed through.

Within the first day out of the three assigned for the visit in Washington, Ponta is going to meet with representatives of companies investing in Romania, as well as with Ernest Moniz, the U.S. Secretary for Energy, the visit aiming mostly at the strategic partnership and economic issues: ‘The objectives of this visit are (…) the reaffirmation of our strategic Partnership both politically and military and the cooperation perspectives in the near future, the economic partnership – because the visit will have an important economic component, meeting with representatives of major companies that have already made investments in Romania or that have eventual investments plans. I’m referring to three important areas: energy, IT and equipment and modern technology industry. Also, we’ll have meetings within the Congress with those representatives in charge with modifying the legislation so as to allow in the future include Romania in the Visa Waiver program, likewise most of the EU member-states that are already in and benefit from this system.’said Ponta.

The Prime Minister will firstly have meetings with representatives of Motorola and Hewlett-Packard, followed by a conference with AMRO and US Chamber of Commerce & Business Round Table. Ponta also has scheduled meetings with representatives of ExxonMobil and Chevron, companies whose operations in Romania he supports, especially in the current situation Chevron faces in Vaslui County, where suspended the shale gas exploration due to locals’ protests against its operations.

Within the next two days of the state-visit, Ponta is going to meet with Jim Yong Kim, President of the World Bank and Joe Biden, the Vice-President of the United States.