Ana Catauta: “Our goal is that you and us can be stronger and go through this”
Ana Catauta is a member of the Chamber of Deputies, Romanian Parliament and the Aspen Fellow. She was a speaker at the sixth #UkrainianDialogue that Aspen Institute Kyiv held with Aspen Institute Romania. She explained the main challenges of accession to the EU.
When it comes to the European Union and joining the European family, there are a number of rules and a set of values that we all have to share
Ana said that Romanians are very determined in standing with Ukraine and supporting its European path.
— It has been 15 years since we joined the EU. Even if things are not as we have hoped before it’s obvious that being part of the large European family has helped the Romanian economy, has helped Romania to develop and we do want the same for the Ukrainian neighbors.
Ana stressed that Romania stands with Ukraine and understands that it’s not only our fight with the Russian Federation. But both sides should be extremely conscious that there is the need of understanding each other better and of understanding that confidence and trust is going to be gained and to be built in time.
— Speaking from a country that has gone through this process of accession to the European Union, it is what happens after the accession that is important. It wasn`t the integration that didn’t occur on the second day, and some reforms are necessary. In practical terms, when it comes to the European Union and joining the European family, there are a number of rules and a set of values that we all have to share. It is extremely frustrating to Romania to be a member of the European Union for 15 years but not to enjoy Shengen. However, these things do happen. We have understood that there are things that we need to improve at the ground level of the country but we do understand that some decisions are more complicated than others.
It’s important to be very careful about the disinformation and fake-news
Also, Ana said that it’s important to be very careful about the disinformation and fake-news because Russians will try to discredit helping Ukraine by their propaganda.
— Romania and other European countries are going through very difficult economic times. We have to be extremely careful about the sensitivities of the Romanian people and the people from the EU. I am convinced and I can see from what’s going on in the social media that the Russians will try to create this tension between helping Ukraine and helping people that are invaluable in Romania and other countries. Our goal is that you and us can be stronger and go through this. However, we have to be very careful including our public statements about these sensitivities. The war, unfortunately, has different faces. Disinformation and fake news are among them.
