MEP Negrescu: It’s important that topic of Romania’s accession to Schengen area remains on European agenda

 

"The year 2023 could be the year of Romania's accession to the Schengen area, if we approach this subject coherently and professionally. We need a more dynamic external action, involvement at the highest level and better cooperation between all those who can help achieve this important goal for our country. We all saw what Croatia was able to do, by joining the eurozone and the Schengen area, starting on January 1, although it entered the European Union after Romania," Victor Negrescu wrote.

 

He added that the TV shows in Romania are full of all kinds of political comments, while Bulgaria does not hesitate to act directly, recalling the visit to Vienna of the social-democratic president of Bulgaria (Rumen Radev, ed. n.) which "is already producing results".

"At the end of January, the Austrian Chancellor (Karl Nehammer, ed. n.) will go together with the minister of the Interior (Gerhard Karner, ed. n.) to the border between Bulgaria and Turkey to identify and jointly propose solutions at the European level in order to combat the migration phenomenon. This approach is correct and represents a way of doing European politics that can produce results. It should not surprise anyone if Bulgaria will leave Romania behind if the problem arises, they are already doing it regarding the accession to the eurozone. Only in our country the ignorant were hesitant," the PSD MEP also wrote.

 

He specified that the European agenda foresees two key moments.

The first would be on January 25-27, when the informal meeting of the Council of Justice and Home Affairs will take place in Sweden.

 

"It is mandatory for Romania to take advantage of this moment to clarify the disagreements with Austria and to request a firm timetable for accession. It must also request that Schengen expansion be on the agenda of the JHA Council in March or June," Negrescu said.

 

The second such crucial moment is the European Council on 9-10 February.

"It is important that the subject of Romania's accession to the Schengen area remains on the European agenda. The heads of state and government must address this issue and clarify the outstanding issues," pleaded the MEP who holds the position of vice-president of the Party of European Socialists (PES).