Romania, alongside the Russian Federation, Poland, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic, on Monday was welcomed into the International Telecommunications Union Council (ITU-Council) after 137 of the 179 member states attending the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2018 voted in favour, according to a press statement released by the National Communications Administration and Regulatory Authority (ANCOM).

"Romania has garnered the most of votes in the election to the International Telecommunication Union Council at the Plenipotentiary Conference held in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, as 137 of the 179 attending member states voted in favour of Romania! A big success for our country, because we will have an important say in the leadership of the international telecoms organization," according to ANCOM Chairman Sorin Grindeanu.

According to ANCOM, Romania participated in the election in Region C (Eastern Europe and North Asia), where seven countries applied for five seats. The final result of the electoral process was the following: Romania - 137 votes; the Russian Federation - 136 votes; Poland - 125 votes; Azerbaijan - 119 votes, the Czech Republic - 112 votes; Bulgaria - 110 votes, and Kyrgyzstan - 95 votes.

Based on the votes they garnered, Romania, the Russian Federation, Poland, Azerbaijan and the Czech Republic got seats on the ITU Council.

The Plenipotentiary Conference takes place every four years to elect the management of the organisation and to determine the direction of the debate until the next edition. This year, the Conference takes place in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, October 29 - November 16. At the same conference, Houlin Zhao was re-elected ITU secretary general, and Malcolm Johnson was reconfirmed as deputy secretary-general.

ANCOM is the body that protects the interests of communications users in Romania by fostering competition in the communications market, managing limited resources, and by encouraging efficient investment in infrastructure and innovation. AGERPRES (RO - author: Oana Tilica, editor: Nicoleta Gherasi; EN - author: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu, editor: Adina Panaitescu)