During the meeting he had with his counterpart Donald Tusk, Victor Ponta stated that the Bucharest authorities could learn a lot from the Polish experience with regard to the absorption of European funds and administrative-territorial organization. In fact, Warsaw will assist Romania in its process of administrative reorganization and also in absorbing European funds, the two prime ministers agreed. Poland is a role model to Romania and a privileged partner, the two countries being driven by no diverging interests, Victor Ponta also said.

“ On a basis of excellent political relations and common interests, I would like Poland to see in Romania a true partner and a strategic friend. Also, I would like to see the two countries play a powerful role in the region and in the European Union.”

In turn, the Polish Prime Minister said that the two countries are interested in diversifying their energy resources, and they share the same views with regard to environmental and energy policies. To support that, the Polish official talked about the Nabucco gas pipeline as a solution for diversification. The pipeline is planned to carry the first load of natural gas in late 2018 and will be able to cover 50% of the needs of Bulgaria, Romania, Austria and Hungary. Another source of energy is the controversial shale gas, and both Romania and Poland are interested in exploiting it.

Although a major opportunity, the extraction of shale gas is criticized by some specialists, as it entails hydraulic fracturing, a method that can trigger earthquakes and pollute underground waters. On Wednesday, on the very Environment Day, a protest was held in south-eastern Romania, on the border with Bulgaria, against the use of this source of energy, protesters claiming it’s dangerous for both people and the environment. According to estimates by the US Agency for Energy Intelligence, Romania, Hungary and Bulgaria own shale gas reserves totaling 538 billion cubic meters.