There must be a balance between the responsibilities that Romania assumes and the rights that it must have as a member country of the Schengen Area, says the Minister of Interior, Lucian Bode.
“Romania’s position is as firm as possible. In this endeavor, there must be a balance between the responsibilities that Romania assumes and the rights that it must have as a member country of the Schengen Area. We manage almost 2,000 kilometers of the Schengen border. We have been fulfilling all the technical conditions for 11 years. We know it’s a political decision. The European Parliament has taken a political decision, but it needs a political will and a political decision that Romania deserves. We cannot remain outside the Schengen Area just because, through a political analysis of some Member States, this decision has not yet been taken “, says Lucian Bode.
The Minister of Interior states that, if necessary, the Romanian authorities could present the technical situation once again.
“I also stated to the JHA Council that for us joining the Schengen Area is a priority. (…) However, Romanians are discriminated against, not to mention the economic component. I believe that this decision of the European Parliament is nothing more than a step forward in our process of joining the Schengen Area “, concludes Bode.
The European Parliament adopted on Thursday, with 505 votes in favor, its resolution on the Annual Report on the functioning of the Schengen area.
“The resolution reiterates the well-known position of the EP on the accession of Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen area and expressly provides that: <ținând seama de numeroasele sale solicitări de aplicare integrală a dispozițiilor acquis-ului Schengen în Bulgaria și România, [Parlamentul] solicită insistent Consiliului să-și onoreze angajamentul, să ia imediat decizia de a elimina controalele la frontierele interne terestre, maritime și aeriene și să permită acestor țări să se alăture, cu drepturi depline, spațiului de liberă circulație fără controale la frontierele interne; consideră că solidaritatea și responsabilitatea sunt de datoria tuturor și că viitorul spațiului Schengen trebuie să fie fără fragmentare>“, It was shown in a communiqué of the Ministry of Interior.
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