President, "the main enemy of accession to Schengen"

The main opponent of Romania's accession to the Schengen area becomes even President Traian Basescu, said Prime Minister Victor Ponta Tuesday.

"I do not understand this negative attitude, but we live with it," said Victor Ponta, returned from a visit to Copenhagen.

"What I can see is that the main opponent of Romania's accession to Schengen becomes even President Traian Basescu," said Victor Ponta.

"The president is still looking for reasons for us not to be received," said Victor Ponta, noting that the arguments for Romania not being received to Schengen are given only by Traian Basescu, not by EU prime ministers whom he met.

Prime Minister Victor Ponta said he did not want to comment more recent statements of President Traian Basescu, saying that he, as prime minister, is "working", while the president is "impeaching" and added only that the head state is the main enemy of accession to Schengen.

Accession in "two stages"

Senate President, Crin Antonescu, said that the Netherlands will not connect Romania's accessing to Schengen with the CVM report.

The Liberal leader said he had discussed at Hague with the Dutch prime minister about Romania's entry into the European area of freedom of movement in two stages, first by opening air and sea borders.

Crin Antonescu believes that the allegations formulated in the evening by President Traian Basescu are just a game of image and a politicizing approach.

President Traian Basescu said on Tuesday that Prime Minister Victor Ponta "dishonestly" reacted when he said that the decree of appointment as Minister for Relu Fenechiu was signed by the President, saying that he, as president, can reject a minister only to reshuffle.

Basescu said that the letter sent last week to Prime Minister Victor Ponta and Senate President Crin Antonescu could be a chance for discussions on Romania in Schengen access from the JHA Council in March.

Translated by Alexandra-Diana Mircea

MTTLC, Bucharest University