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Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

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28th March 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Linking London and Bucharest Stock Exchanges

This week the Bucharest Stock Exchange established a partnership with the largest financial market in the world – the London Stock Exchange. When the UK’s Trade and Investment Minister Lord Green met the Foreign Investors Council in Bucharest earlier this month, one of the participants, Adrian Rosca of Chemco, made the far-sighted proposal that Romania […]

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21st March 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Doing business in emerging Europe

Britain is a trading nation. In most markets in the world – Asia, Africa, America, and the Middle East – the UK holds a disproportionately large share of inward investment and exports. But not, unfortunately, in central and eastern Europe. For whatever reason UK companies still lag behind their German, French and Austrian competitors in […]

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8th March 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Romania, country of choice for British investors

Today I opened the new service centre of Stanleybet, one of the most established British investors in Romania and one that is now expanding its operations here. Stanleybet has chosen Romania from the eight countries in which it operates as the location for its service centre, dealing with customers in Italy, Germany and Cyprus. Why? […]

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17th February 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Less Emergency, More Order

The media are reporting today that the new Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu has said the Government should make less use of Emergency Ordinances. This would be welcomed by British investors in Romania. One of the most common concerns I hear from British companies is the need for more predictability in the legislative environment. The […]

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10th February 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Credit where credit is due

Romania gets a good report on the battle against corruption in the latest assessment by the Commission. Deservedly so. The last few months have seen important steps forward. Verdicts have been reached in high-level corruption cases. The Civil Code is in force and working. New rules have been put in place for appointing judges to […]

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9th February 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Romania’s first Oxford Prime Minister

The Universities of Oxford and Cambridge have a long record in educating British Prime Ministers. William Gladstone, Margaret Thatcher, Tony Blair all studied at Oxford. In fact, from the first – Robert Walpole – to the last – David Cameron – 41 of Britain’s 55 Prime Ministers went to Oxford or Cambridge. In recent years […]

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31st January 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Which way out?

Romania’s former Foreign Minister, Andrei Plesu, commented yesterday on the tough economic conditions facing Romania and quoted Caragiale “From this dilemma we have no way out”. Certainly the economic outlook looks a bit like Bucharest’s roads did last week, blocked at every junction and with more snow on the way. Growth forecasts are being revised […]

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9th January 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

2012–Un an “GREAT” pentru britanici

În calitate de Ambasador al Marii Britanii la Bucureşti doresc să lansez tuturor românilor invitaţia de a vizita Regatul Unit anul acesta. Mai mult de o sută de mii de români călătoresc în ţara mea în fiecare an, dar 2012 va fi cu adevărat special şi va aduce motive în plus de a merge la […]

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9th January 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

2012 – a Great British year

As Britain’s Ambassador in Bucharest, I would like to extend an invitation to everyone in Romania to visit the United Kingdom this year. Over a hundred thousand Romanians visit the UK each year, but 2012 is going to be a special one with more reasons than ever before to make a trip to London and […]

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20th December 2011

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Queen Marie arrives at the Ambassador’s Residence

This week Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Margareta unveiled a new picture at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Bucharest – a portrait of Queen Marie of Romania. Queen Marie was the granddaughter of Queen Victoria, born Princess Marie of Edinburgh in 1875.  As the wife of King Ferdinand she became Queen of Romania in 1914. […]

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About Martin Harris

I am the Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Moscow. In my last job I was the Ambassador at the British Embassy in Bucharest. Previously I…

I am the Minister and Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy
in Moscow. In my last job I was the Ambassador at the British Embassy in
Bucharest. Previously I have served at the British Embassies in Kyiv
and Moscow as well as at the UK Delegation to the OSCE in Vienna.
I love music, especially opera, chamber and sacred music. I am
married to Linda MacLachlan. We have three daughters, Catriona, Tabitha
and Flora – and they have one dog Timur and two cats, Pushkin and Tolstoi.

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