People’s Party supports Romania’s accession to Schengen Area

Vice President of the European People's Party, Mario David, said that Romania has made all the required investments for the country’s accession to the Schengen Area, thus fulfilling the technical criteria. He believes that our country’s accession into the free-travel Area should not be delayed for political reasons.

Mario David met with Romanian President Traian Băsescu, on Tuesday to discuss the expansion of the Schengen Area and plans on making a visit to Bulgaria for the same purpose.

The European official stressed that Romania could follow the example of Switzerland and join Schengen in two stages. First, by air, then by land.

Mario David said he does not understand, regardless of political reasons, why Romania would not be allowed into the Area of free movement according to the pre-establised schedule.

‘It is offensive for anyone to say that we do not trust the Romanian authorities and local government regarding the transmission of data in the Schengen Information System, considering that Romania is a full NATO and EU membe ‘the Vice-President of the European People's Party, Mario David, said.

France and Germany still oppose

French Minister for European Affairs Laurent Wauquiez and German Minister for European Affairs Werner Hoyer specified that Romania and Bulgaria have the vocation to enter the Schengen Area, but everyone must understand the importance of this decision for Europe, says the correspondent for Romania Radio Actualităţi in Paris, Roxana Vasile.

According to French Minister Laurent Wauquiez the technical criteria allowing membership must be accompanied by positive developments in reforming the judiciary system and fighting corruption.

On the other hand, Minister Werner Hoyer wanted to point out that Romania and Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area during the Hungarian presidency of the EU is not realistic.

The French and German Interior Ministers sent the European Commission late last year a letter requesting the postponement of Romania and Bulgaria's accession to the Schengen Area.

The two officials pointed out in the letter the absence of a decent legal and administrative environment in the security and justice system, a pandemic corruption and an alarming persistence of organized crime.

Translated by: Iris Butnariu
MA, Student, MTTLC, Bucharest University