The EU Strategy for the Danube Region success is going to greatly influence what will happen in the future EU budget, said in Alba Iulia / north-west of Bucharest /, the Presidential adviser for European Affairs, Leonard Orban.

The official believes that success of this strategy "still depends on how it will work and how the financial resources will be directed in the years to come."

Attending the opening of Alba Iulia Business Forum - "Smart and Sustainable Cities and Regions" - the former European Commissioner stressed that, "at present, in the months to come, high stakes will be played related to this issue".

"Success of the EU strategy for the Danube region still depends on how we act and how the financial resources will be targeted in the years to come. In the prospect of the 2007-2013 budget, things are clear. This things were negotiated long ago, they were negotiated before Romania and Bulgaria have become members, and at present resources are clear ", said Leonard Orban.

He appreciated that "we can see this strategy as a turning point in terms of how the community money will be further allocated, and not only that". The former European Commissioner said that although this is not recognized, "it is clearly a tendency to go in the future on macro regions, on boosting some investments meant to consolidate cross-border cooperation within some macro-economic regions".

The Presidential adviser also stressed "that the existence of such a strategy represents a remarkable success for the Romanian diplomacy that, alongside the Austrian diplomacy, as well as diplomacies in the riparian states, managed to bring this outstandingly important project on the agenda of the European Commission".