MEP Tudor Ciuhodaru asked the European Parliament, gathered in plenary this week in Strasbourg, to verify once again that Romania meets all the conditions for accession to the Schengen area, to establish a very clear timetable for accession and to trigger sanctioning procedures for those who do not respect the operating treaties of the European Union, told Agerpres.
Calling last week's vote by the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council against Romania's accession to Schengen as an injustice, Ciuhodaru pleaded on Monday from the rostrum of the European legislature for Romania to be considered a European-level country and for Romanians to no longer be considered second-rate European citizens.
"It is incredible, it is incorrect and unfair that some are more equal than others and these things must stop. I want us to be treated like the French, the English, the Dutch and the Austrians."
In his opinion, the vote against Romania was actually a serious fracture against European unity and solidarity.
"We have been in extreme solidarity regarding all European crises, if you want us to continue to be close, keep in mind that the Romanians and Romania deserve more, including the change of treaties at the European level," the Romanian MEP, a member of the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament, said.
"It is incredible and unforgivable that the vote of this Parliament does not matter. I voted twice in this Parliament for Romania's accession to Schengen and a vote given elsewhere made things take a completely different direction. These things must be changed,'' he said.