What does this mean for Romanian students in the UK? Is it a real step or just a political initiative?
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Oana Țoiu, participated on Tuesday, during an official visit to the United Kingdom, at the formal launch of discussions with the Inter-Parliamentary Friendship Group for Romania (All-Party Parliamentary Group – APPG Romania).
According to a statement sent by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE), the moment marks the resumption of activity at the legislative level after a one-year break, following the recent general elections in Great Britain.
The meeting with APPG members, led by president Gareth Thomas and vice-president Lord Davies of Gower, aimed at strengthening the parliamentary pillar of the Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United Kingdom.
See details of the 2015 initiative – Romanian, Baccalaureate subject in London. Project for GCSE in ROMANIAN LANGUAGE
Romanian language, proposed for the GCSE exam
A central point of the discussions was the plea for the introduction of the Romanian language as a GCSE exam subject, an optional exam within the British high school studies. Minister Oana Țoiu thanked the APPG members for supporting this initiative in the British Parliament and pointed out, according to the MAE, that Romanian is the second most spoken foreign language in the United Kingdom.
“The resumption of this group after a year’s break is a strong signal of friendship. Parliamentary diplomacy is what translates strategic partnerships into direct benefits for people. I have found in colleagues from APPG dedicated allies for our community, especially in the effort to offer Romanian children in the UK the opportunity to take official exams in their mother tongue,” said Oana Țoiu, according to the MFA press release.
Regional security and energy cooperation
The discussions also included themes related to regional security, with British MPs expressing their appreciation for Romania’s role as a pillar of stability on NATO’s Eastern Flank. At the same time, it was agreed to intensify the dialogue on democratic resilience and energy security.
The MFA also mentions the preparation of a visit to Romania, in March, by members of the British Group of the Inter-Parliamentary Union.
The “outstanding contribution” of Romanians in the UK
The press release states that the members of the parliamentary group highlighted the “remarkable contribution” of over 1.3 million Romanians to the British economy and culture.
In the same context, Minister Oana Țoiu reaffirmed the Romanian Government’s commitment to support the friendship group in projects aimed at facilitating integration and protecting the rights of Romanian citizens, strengthening the human ties behind the bilateral relationship.
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