PM Ludovic Orban to pay visit to Israel, Palestine, on Tuesday and Wednesday

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban will pay an official visit to Israel and Palestine on Tuesday and Wednesday, in which context he will hold official talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Palestinian counterpart, Mohammad Shtayyeh.

According to a press release of the Government, the Romanian Prime Minister and the Israeli Prime Minister are to sign, on the sidelines of their bilateral meeting, the Protocol that modifies the Convention between the Government of Romania and the Government of the State of Israel for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of tax evasion signed in Jerusalem on June 15, 1997.

During his visit to Israel, Ludovic Orban will also meet President Reuven Rivlin, Deputy PM and Minister of Defence Benjamin Gantz, Foreign Minister Gabriel Ashkenazi, and Colette Avital, Secretary-General of the World Jewish Restitution Organization.

"The main topic of the discussions with the Israeli officials will be the current state of bilateral relations between the two states, focusing on the political, economic and security fields, as well as how they could be expanded, strengthened and diversified to the benefit of both Romania and Israel. At the same time, the officials will review the developments in the region, with a focus on the crises in the Middle East and North Africa," reads the same press release.

In Ramallah, Prime Minister Ludovic Orban will hold a meeting with Palestinian counterpart Mohammad Shtayyeh.

"Discussions will focus on the current state of Romanian-Palestinian bilateral relations, with a focus on ways to strengthen cooperation between Romania and Palestine, as a concrete contribution to the institution-building and development of Palestine. Officials will also review "The latest developments in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on the Middle East Peace Process, including in the light of recent developments in the region," the same statement said.

Prime Minister Ludovic Orban will be accompanied in this official visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bogdan Aurescu, and the Minister of National Defence, Nicolae Ciuca.