Portuguese President meets Romanian acting PM Oprea

Vice Prime Minister Gabriel Oprea met Portugal's President Anibal Cavaco Silva on Thursday, at the Victoria Palace (the Government offices); the Portuguese head of state is paying an official visit to Romania.

Portuguese President Anibal Cavaco Silva (L) and Romanian Vice PM Gabriel Oprea shake hands before official talks at Victoria Palace

Oprea is acting prime minister from June 16 through 19.

"Your presence here (...) is a great honour for Romania, for its Government and for myself. Prime Minister Victor Ponta sends you his salutations. Unfortunately, he underwent surgery and could not attend," he told his guest.

The vice prime minister mentioned that Romania and Portugal share a system of values as EU and NATO members. He especially thanked President Cavaco Silva for opening the way to Romanian and Portuguese businesspeople and for inaugurating a forum for investments in Romania earlier this month, in Lisbon.

The Portuguese President appreciated the cultural, economic and political bilateral relations as excellent. "I think we can do much more," he added. He mentioned that he was accompanied by a delegation of entrepreneurs of dynamic industry sectors to participate in the 'Romania-Portugal: Cooperation Opportunities' forum.

During the first day of his visit to Romania, President Cavaco Silva met on Wednesday his Romanian counterpart Klaus Iohannis and the speakers of the two chambers of the Parliament. AGERPRES