Prime minister Viorica Dancila starts her visit to the United States on Monday as she gets ready for the campaign for presidential elections back home. With a meeting with US Vice President Mke Pence as the highlight of the trip, it is her second visit across Atlantic, after a first one where she caused uproar with statements regarding Romania's Embassy to Israel.
Viorica Dancila, who is accompanied by Finance minister Eugen Teodorovici among others, has given little official detail about the organisation of the visit, with speculation circulating whether she was using lobby services or not.
The agenda for Monday includes meetings with Jersey Mayor Steven Fulop, representatives of the World Bank and of the American Jewish Committee.
The visit, due to take place between September 22-29, will include a meeting with Vice President Mike Pence, with an energy deal due to be signed on the occasion.
Dancila's first visit to the US in March this year caused a political-diplomatic scandal as the prime minister used a meeting of an American-Jewish conference that Romania would move its embassy to Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. No moves in this regard were made so far.
Viorica Dancila starts her visit as Romania braces for presidential elections in November, in which Dancila, as candidate for the governing Social Democrats, would face President Klaus Iohannis, who holds the pole position in the race. Iohannis already visited the US this season, with a meeting with President Donald Trump as a highlight.
