Romania is better placed compared to last year regarding the completion of the process of full accession to the Schengen area, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Catalin Predoiu, said on Monday.

He made the clarification in a telephone intervention to Euronews Romania, when asked, after participating in the informal JAI Council in Budapest, if there are chances for Romania to join the Schengen area also with land borders.

„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 precedents, there was no situation in which a Schengen member state would partially enter with one or two borders and greatly delay the entry with the third border”, said Predoiu.

He advanced a term of one year, being asked what greatly means.

„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’m 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”, explained Predoiu.

On the other hand, he pointed out that, in parallel or in comparison with last year, it is a more complex situation from a political point of view this year, because the formation of the European Commission is due, a process that will probably be completed in the autumn.

AGERPRES