The Minister of Internal Affairs, Cătălin Predoiu, told Euronews Romania on Monday, July 22, that Romania enjoys a more favorable position than last year regarding the conclusion of the full accession process to the Schengen free movement area, according to Agerpres.
In a year, Romania could enter the terrestrial Schengen area. Photo: Shutterstock (Archive)
We remind you that Romania entered the air and maritime Schengen area.
“We are better placed than last year, because last year we were a non-member state and now we are a Schengen member state. Yes, it is true, only with two out of three borders, but we are still inside Schengen and looking at the precedents, there was no situation where a Schengen member state partially entered with one or two borders and delayed the entry very much with the third frontier”the Minister of Internal Affairs answered, after being asked, following the attendance at the informal JAI Council in Budapest, if there is a possibility for Romania to enter Schengen with land borders.
Cătălin Predoiu declared that in 2025 Romania could enter the terrestrial Schengen area.
“A year from now, for example. There are no such precedents either, although there have been situations. Romania is not the only or the first state to enter the Schengen space in stages, first with part of the border and then completely. We are not the first state, if I am not mistaken, even Austria experienced the same kind of accession and practical experience shows that the process is irreversible, once entered. So, compared to last year, we are, yes, better placed“, added Cătălin Predoiu.
“There are a series of variables on the chessboard”
In addition, he drew attention to the fact that the political situation in the current year is much more complex, as the formation process of the European Commission will take place, which will most likely end in the fall.
“At the same time, there are elections in many European states, including in Romania, but now they are in Romania, they are also in other states that raise all political discussions, political problems, positioning problems. The Netherlands recently had elections, it has a new government. He is going to position his opinions on various files in the next period. Let’s not forget that we are not alone in this process, it is also Bulgaria, so there are a series of variables on the chessboard of this file, which do not belong to the Romanian Ministry of the Interior, they belong to an entire political context, electoral, institutional, at the level by the Commission, at the level of the member states and things are constantly dynamic. Obviously, I have all these aspects in mind and in the area of the Ministry of the Interior, I do not omit any kind of diplomatic action that could bring us points and arguments in this complete process”stated the Minister of Internal Affairs.
