Ambassador Ion Naval of Romania to Turkmenistan hosted a reception on 1 December 2022 to mark the National Day of Romania.
The chief guest representing the Government of Turkmenistan was Mammetguly Astanagulow, Minister of Finance and Economy and Co-Chairman of the Turkmen side of the Romanian-Turkmen Intergovernmental Commission on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Ion Naval described Turkmenistan as “a key partner of Romania in Central Asia” and highlighted the steady strengthening of bilateral relations across multiple sectors.
“Transport and communications remain the benchmark area of our cooperation,” the Ambassador noted. He pointed to the entry into force in early 2025 of the Romanian-Turkmen Intergovernmental Agreement on the Liberalization of Road Transport, signed in Ashgabat, as a major milestone.
Ambassador Naval placed particular emphasis on the International Transport Route Black Sea – Caspian Sea, a bilateral Romanian-Turkmen initiative now advanced in a quadrilateral format together with Azerbaijan and Georgia. The planned 2,500 km inter-modal corridor (maritime, road and rail) is designed to offer the shortest geographical link between Europe and Central Asia. “The signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement for the creation and operation of this transport corridor is scheduled to take place in Romania in the immediate future,” he announced.
Cooperation in the energy sector is also gaining momentum. In April 2025, Ashgabat hosted the eighth meeting of the Romanian-Turkmen Working Group on Energy, where new opportunities for mutually beneficial projects were identified.
Education has emerged as one of the most visible pillars of the relationship. Thanks to a new cooperation programme between the two ministries of education, Romania has substantially increased the number of scholarships offered to Turkmen students.
In turn, Minister Mammetguly Astanagulow underlined that over the 33 years of diplomatic relations, the partnership has been built on “equality, mutual respect and trust.”
He noted growing trade and economic ties and expanding direct contacts between business circles of the two countries.
The Minister welcomed the work of existing cooperation mechanisms that facilitate concrete joint projects in energy, industry, transport, agriculture, tourism and the humanitarian sphere.
He described education as an important component of humanitarian ties, pointing out that approximately 400 Turkmen students are currently studying in Romania – a figure he said strengthens friendship and historical links between the two nations.
Here is the speech of the Ambassador Ion Naval on the occasion:
Dear Mr. Minister Mammetguly Astanagulow,
Your Excellencies ladies and gentlemen ambassadors,
Dear representatives of the diplomatic missions,
Dear Romanians,
I am deeply honoured to welcome you all to the National Day of Romania reception. Thank you for joining us on this special evening!
We celebrate, today, the National Day of Romania, with gratitude for the sacrifice and wisdom of our ancestors, who made modern Romania possible. The celebration of the National Day represents a symbolic moment for our national unity, for the solidarity of Romanian society. It is an opportunity to reaffirm the values in which we believe and which define us and to highlight the path that Romania follows with confidence in freedom, security and prosperity.
In a difficult international moment, with multiple reconfigurations, deeply marked by the strategic threat generated by the Russian Federation, we remain anchored in defending the national interest and determined to contribute to regional and international security. We have allies and partners with whom we are stronger, safer and more defended. For our part, we remain a predictable and solidary partner, oriented towards concrete and measurable results, felt both by the citizens of the country and by the international community to which we contribute.
We are here to build bridges of trust, protecting our traditions and identity, and looking to a future built together, in solidarity and united.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Turkmenistan is a key partner of Romania in Central Asia, and our countries have developed a strong and mutually beneficial relationship in various fields. Our bilateral relations have developed and strengthened over the past 33 years in a wide range of areas, starting from political dialogue, cultural affairs and people-to-people contacts, and moving further to topics such as connectivity and water management. In this respect, Romania remains committed to further expanding sectoral cooperation and capitalizing on the results achieved so far.
A very important mechanism established by our countries is the Intergovernmental Joint Commission on Economic, Trade, Technical and Scientific Cooperation, which has already conducted seven working sessions. I am glad and honoured to have with us today Mr. Minister Mammetguly Astanagulow, who is also co-chairman of the Turkmen side in this Romanian-Turkmen intergovernmental mechanism.
In 2025, government and parliamentary contacts and discussions were continued and intensified, at the level of the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, but also in areas such as transport and energy.
The Foreign Ministers of Romania and Turkmenistan maintained constant contacts, with the last telephone conversation between our heads of diplomacy taking place in early November 2025.
Transport and communications remain the benchmark area of bilateral relations, in which we are seeing significant progress. Thus, the year 2025 made its debut with the signing of the Romanian-Turkmen Intergovernmental Agreement on the Liberalization of Road Transport, here in Ashgabat. I believe that Romania is the first EU state to fully open up access to its market for road hauliers from Turkmenistan, and that road hauliers from Romania benefit from the same treatment from Turkmenistan, a state located in the heart of Central Asia.
Also, special attention continues to be paid to a project of particular relevance for our countries: the International Transport Route Black Sea – Caspian Sea, a bilateral Romanian-Turkmen Initiative, promoted in a quadrilateral format, which brings together our two countries, as well as Azerbaijan and Georgia. This project aims to create an inter-modal transport route, maritime/road/rail, with a length of 2,500 km between Europe and Central Asia, using the shortest geographical corridor connecting two regions. The signing of an Intergovernmental Agreement for the creation and operation of this Transport Corridor is planned to take place in Romania in immediate future.
The Romanian-Turkmen dialogue continued successfully also in the energy field: in April 2025, we organized, in Ashgabat, the eighth Meeting of the Romanian-Turkmen Working Group for cooperation in the energy field, during which new opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation were identified, given the key importance of this sector for both countries.
Cooperation in the field of education has become a synonym for the bilateral relationship. Through the new Cooperation program between the ministries of education of Romania and Turkmenistan, the Romanian side has substantially increased the number of scholarships granted to young Turkmen. Here I would just like to note that more and more young Turkmen citizens choose Romania as a destination for studies, not only in the field of oil and gas engineering, which are already traditional, but also in that of medicine, biotechnology and computer science. We welcome and encourage this diversification trend, as Romania offers excellent opportunities and advantages to study in an outstanding academic environment. I welcome the presence, in this room, of young Turkmen who have already graduated their studies in Romania and are now engaged in the development of their country!
We look with optimism towards the future of the Romanian-Turkmen cooperation and I am convinced that the economic and trade relations will play an increasingly important role in strengthening the friendship between our states. The Romanian state, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pays an increased attention to the external promotion of the private sector in the country. Correspondingly, the Romanian companies show a real interest in the opportunities for cooperation with Turkmenistan.
A conclusive example is that of the Romanian company Herbal Therapy Laboratories – one of the largest companies producing cosmetic and pharmaceutical products in Eastern Europe – which is already present on the market in Turkmenistan, and whose president is with us today.
I would also like to recall the intention of the Romanian company Chimcomplex – the largest chemical company in Eastern Europe – to invest in Turkmenistan in innovative projects for the development of complex petrochemical products that can contribute decisively to the development of the Turkmen and regional chemical industry.
We welcome and encourage such initiatives and also invite Turkmen entrepreneurs to explore the business opportunities offered by Romania.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The year 2025 is a special year for Turkmenistan, which marks 30 years of permanent neutrality and I would like to use this opportunity to extend, on behalf of the Romanian authorities, warm congratulations and wishes of professional and personal fulfilment to the President of Turkmenistan, His Excellency Mr. Serdar BERDIMUHAMEDOV, as well as to the National Leader of the Turkmen people and the Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty, Gurbanguly BERDIMUHAMEDOV, who has dedicated his entire political activity to the neutrality of Turkmenistan, and to express my wishes of peace and prosperity to the Turkmen people on the occasion of the upcoming celebration of Turkmenistan Neutrality Day. This anniversary is not only a cornerstone for Turkmenistan, but also a moment of reflection for all of us who believe in the values of international dialogue and cooperation. Romania appreciates and welcomes Turkmenistan’s constructive involvement in the United Nations and other multilateral fora, where neutrality has translated into openness to dialogue and commitment to peaceful solutions. At a time when the international community continues to face complex challenges, such principles take on renewed and special significance.
Now, I would like to invite you to raise a glass to Romania, to Turkmenistan, to our partners and friends around the world, to the personal health and happiness of each of us.
Happy anniversary, Romania!
Thank you for your attention!
///nCa, 2 December 2025
Some photos from the event:
