Prime minister Marcel Ciolacu says that Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area with air and sea borders is „a well-deserved success for our country as a member of the EU”, saying that there is a clear and firm government plan for full accession by the end of the year.

„We have a clear and firm government plan for full Schengen membership by the end of the year. I am convinced that through seriousness and stability we will achieve this goal, just as we have succeeded in two other major projects – joining NATO and the European Union – and as we are preparing to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development,” Ciolacu said in a message posted Sunday on Facebook.

Romania has partially joined the Schengen Area, with its air and sea borders.

Internal Affairs minister Catalin Predoiu stressed that the expansion decision of the Schengen Area with the land borders will be a political one, declaring himself convinced that the process is irreversible.

„We maintain continuous communication with all our strategic partners in order to support the efforts for full Schengen accession. The prospects for the second stage depend, however, on factors that are not within the scope of our country’s diplomatic intervention, on external political developments and circumstances. The expansion decision with land borders will be political, just like the decision on Air Schengen. But I am equally convinced that the process is irreversible and that its full realisation cannot be delayed for too long,” added the Internal Affairs minister.

AGERPRES