Interior Minister Lucian Bode said on Wednesday that Romania is increasingly closer to its accession to the Schengen Area, commenting on the European Commission's request to the Council of the EU on allowing Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia participation in this free movement area, told Agerpres.
Attending the ministerial conference of the Salzburg Forum, organised by the Interior Ministry at the Palace of Parliament, Minister Bode hailed the statements of European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson, on the three states' accession to Schengen.
"The Commissioner spoke about the results of the voluntary mission carried out by EU experts under the coordination of the European Commission in the beginning of October in Romania and Bulgaria. The Commissioner appreciated the results of this visits as extremely positive. The Commissioner said in her statement that it would be a historic decision and a moment of pride for entire Europe, referring to the moment of Romania's. Bulgaria's and Croatia's accession to the Schengen Area. The Commissioner said Romania is more than prepared to join the Schengen Area and pointed out that this communication of the Commission has the role to strengthen the conviction of the Member States that Romania is prepared to join Schengen," said Bode.
The Interior Minister also said that, following the EC request, Romania is getting closer to its accession to Schengen and he congratulated the Interior Ministry's structures.
"Romania is getting increasingly closer to joining the Schengen Area. The European Commission has confirmed today that Romania continues to meet all the requirements for joining the Schengen Area and properly implements the Schengen acquis," said Bode.
The European Commission has called upon the European Council to make the necessary decisions without any further delay to allow Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia to fully participate in the Schengen area.
In a communication adopted on Wednesday, the commission took stock of the three member states' strong record of achievements in the application of the Schengen rules.
"Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia are ready join [the Schengen Area], and I should say the European Union is ready to welcome," European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson told a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.
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