Interim President Ilie Bolojan on Thursday said that in the near future there will be a joint communication from those involved regarding the date when the Visa Waiver program will apply for Romania.

„When I left the Council meeting, coming towards you, my colleagues informed me about this matter. Apart from the clarifications from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I have no further comments. I believe that in the coming period, at least by the end of this month, when this deadline exists, we will have a joint communication from those involved, so that the date when it will actually come into effect can be announced,” Ilie Bolojan told a press conference after attending the European Council meeting.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed on Thursday evening that the Romanian Embassy in Washington is in active dialogue with U.S. authorities, in direct contact with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is tasked with implementing Romania’s accession to the Visa Waiver program.

„There is currently no official communication regarding the modification of the date considered for updating the Electronic System for Travel Authorization – ESTA. Romania views the Visa Waiver program as a security partnership, and we are confident that its becoming operational will contribute to border security and combatting illegal immigration,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pointed out.

Romanian press reported, quoting sources from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, that Romania’s entry into the Visa Waiver program is being re-evaluated.

AGERPRES