Romanian MEP Marian-Jean Marinescu, a deputy chairman of the European People's Party (EPP) group in the European Parliament, on Wednesday said that he believes Romania will very soon join the Schengen Area with its air borders.
"I believe we will very soon join the Schengen Area with its air borders. If we join now, it will be our airports that will go in. In 2017, there are elections in France and Germany," Marinescu told a meeting with Romanian journalists.
Although a meeting of the Justice and Home Affairs Council and a European Council summit will not be held before December, the Romanian MEP said a decision on this matter could be made at any other ministerial meeting of the EU, provided there is political agreement.
Marinescu said the decision could apply as early as this year, with the end of the daylight saving time for the airports.
"That is what I feel; you have not heard me say anything like this before. I have seen President Hollande's statement yesterday [Tuesday] that Romania's airports should contribute more to the Schengen agreement than they are doing now," said Marinescu.
About the accession to the Schengen Area with the land orders, Marinescu said there is currently no one who could answer to such question.
"The reason why we have not entered the Schengen Area yet is the domestic policy of several member states," said the EPP MEP.
On a state visit to Romania on Tuesday, France's President Francois Hollande discussed equipping Romanian airports in a conversation with Romania's President Klaus Iohannis at the Cotroceni Presidential Palace.
"Romania has got the equipment to control the movement of persons transiting through its airports that is very important to our security. To us, that is an essential point in the fight against terror, and that is why talks should be conducted in Brussels to see how we can make Romanian airports contribute to the Schengen Are through their efficacy," said Hollande, according to Agerpres.