Governor Wenzel holds meetings with senior Government officials and bank directors on a visit to Romania

06 May 2014

PARIS - During an official visit to Romania on 28 and 29 April 2014, the Governor of the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB), Rolf Wenzel, met with the Prime Minister of Romania, Victor Ponta, the Minister of Public Finances, Ioana-Maria Petrescu, and the Minister Delegate for Budget, Liviu Voinea.

Discussions focused on the implementation of ongoing projects and on opportunities for bilateral cooperation between Romania and the CEB, particularly in the areas of social housing, natural disaster prevention and cultural heritage.

“I thank Prime Minister Ponta for Romania’s support of the Bank”, Governor Wenzel said. “I look forward to concluding ongoing projects with Romania and developing new projects, for example in environmental protection and social housing.”

Governor Wenzel also held meetings with the Deputy-Governor of the National Bank of Romania and the CEOs of Raiffeisen Bank and BRD-Groupe Société Générale. The main topics of discussion were current and future cooperation with the CEB, particularly in the areas of job creation and the improvement of public infrastructure.

Set up in 1956, the CEB (Council of Europe Development Bank) has 41 Member States. Twenty-two Central, Eastern and South Eastern European countries, forming the Bank's target countries, are listed among the Member States. As a major instrument of the policy of solidarity in Europe, the Bank finances social projects by making available resources raised in conditions reflecting the quality of its rating (Aaa with Moody's, outlook negative, AA+ with Standard & Poor's, outlook stable and AA+ with Fitch Ratings, outlook stable). It thus grants loans to its Member States, and to financial institutions and local authorities in its Member States for the financing of projects in the social sector, in accordance with its Articles of Agreement.