Romanian observers point to high transparency of presidential election in Kazakhstan
After visiting a number of polling stations, the Romanian MPs were very impressed by the transparency and openness, and by the electorate's activity and patriotism. The group of Romanian observers includes six members of Parliament, as well as two representatives of the Foreign Ministry and two of NGOs. "For your country, it is a landmark moment of history. Besides, the election was organized at the highest level," said Valeriu-Andrei Steriu.
The parliamentarians congratulated Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on his victory in the presidential election and underlined that Romania and the international community could learn much from Kazakhstan. "We will also soon elect a president and we believe that we should learn a lot from you in this regard," the MPs added.
Thanking for the invitation of the members of the Romanian Parliament as observers, Steriu noted active interaction between the parliaments of Kazakhstan and Romania.
Alongside this, the Romanian side declared its intention to expand economic ties between the countries, in particular, to explore the possibility of military-technical cooperation.
The Foreign Minister highlighted the importance of increasing trade and economic cooperation, especially in agriculture, energy, and tourism. The sides agreed to discuss specific projects in the above-mentioned sectors. By investing in the Romanian company of Rompetrol, Kazakhstan is a crucial partner of the country. At the end of 2018, the trade turnover reached $1.7 billion. It should be mentioned that 44 Romania-invested companies are operating in the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Special mention was made of the Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of 2019, its assistance in promoting Kazakhstan's priorities in the European direction in the context of the new EU Strategy for Central Asia.
The Romanian diaspora in Kazakhstan and its importance in strengthening the friendship between the nations were also discussed at the meeting. The Minister noted that among 130 ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan, there are around 20,000 Romanians who are a connecting bridge in enhancing friendship between Kazakhstan and Romania. The Foreign Minister of Kazakhstan also called for an increase in the number of students studying in Romanian universities.
At the end of the conversation, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Kazakhstan thanked the Romanian deputies for their participation in the presidential election as observers.