Romania’s Prime Minister Victor Ponta, national leader of the Social Democratic Party (PSD), major in the ruling Social Liberal Union (USL), on Sunday met former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who visited Bucharest after a previous visit in 2012.
Ponta posted on his Facebook page several pictures of him and Blair in an album called ‘Special meeting with Tony Blair.’
After a meeting at the headquarters of PSD, Ponta and Blair walked to a restaurant, where, Ponta says, Blair enjoyed Romanian food.
Ponta says discussing with somebody who was prime minister for ten years was an extraordinary opportunity.
‘On the labour market and in the investment area, Romania has to be taken increasingly more serious and I believe that, although I am not overly optimistic, just realistic, I believe Romania can become a Poland in its geographical area,’ said Ponta after meeting Blair.
He also says those at the table with him and Blair enjoyed the Romanian food.
‘We stood as quiet as possible, but right across there was a wedding party and the partygoers wanted to take pictures with Mr. Blair. We enjoyed our food, and I discussed with a man who, although no longer in office, is very much connected to what is happening in America and Europe. You can realise that asking a man who was ten years in office about things I am facing everyday was an extraordinary opportunity,’ says Ponta.
Ponta also says that when he asked him for a piece of advice for Romania, Blair said Romania should increase its self-confidence.
‘Self-confidence was his advice, because if we do not have confidence in Romania nobody else will have more confidence than we have,’ says Ponta.
Blair was previously in Romania in 2012, when he delivered a conference on the future of Europe in the new international order. AGERPRES
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