EU’s Juncker voices concerns about Romanian presidency
Posted December 29, 2018 4:36 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
BERLIN — The head of the European Union’s executive branch is questioning whether Romania is ready for the political give-and-take of running the EU presidency, though he says the country is “technically well-prepared.”
Romania takes over the rotating EU presidency for six months Jan. 1, taking a role in setting the EU agenda and serving as a diplomatic go-between among the 28 member countries.
European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker was quoted Saturday as telling Germany’s Welt am Sonntag newspaper: “I think the government in Bucharest hasn’t yet fully understood what it means to take the chair over the EU countries.”
Juncker also pointed to deep domestic political divisions and said a “united front” at home is needed to foster unity in Europe.
The Associated Press
