Turkey, Romania determine road map to enhance 'exemplary' ties
Vice President Fuat Oktay (R) and Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Sorin Mihai Grindeanu in Istanbul, Turkey, March 31, 2022. (AA Photo)


Turkey and Romania have drawn up a road map to further enhance already "exemplary" relations, the Turkish vice president said on Thursday.

"Romania is one of Turkey's most important trading partners in Central Europe, Eastern Europe and the Balkans," Fuat Oktay said at a joint press conference with Romanian Deputy Prime Minister Sorin Mihai Grindeanu in Istanbul.

"We have laid out a road map that covers many areas-from industrial cooperation to trade and investments, and from cooperation in agriculture and energy to cultural partnerships," Oktay said after the 27th Session of the Turkish-Romanian Joint Economic Commission, which was held after a 10-year hiatus.

The two countries finalized an 82-point action plan to strengthen cooperation.

One of the aims is to increase bilateral trade volume from $10 billion (TL 146.8 billion) to $15 billion by 2025 and push it above $20 billion by 2030, Oktay added.

He said both sides are hopeful that "commercial and economic relations between our countries will soon reach a level that reflects our good neighborly relations."

Turkey and Romania also cooperate in organizing basic supplies and medical equipment to be transported to Ukraine.

Hailing the history of cooperation between the two countries, Romanian Ambassador Stefan Tinca recently said: "Romania and Turkey already have a history of cooperation on such humanitarian matters, as was the case several years ago when my country repatriated a large number of fellow Romanians from Syria through Turkey, with good cooperation from the Turkish authorities."