Romania is ready to fulfill its responsibilities and be part of Schengen, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca stated, after the European Commission has requested the EU Council, on Wednesday, to make the necessary decisions, without any delay, in order to allow the full accession of Romania, Bulgaria and Croatia to this area of free movement, according to Agerpres.

„The European Commission reconfirmed today that Romania is ready and should join Schengen. We fulfilled criteria since 2011. We stand ready to deliver on our responsibilities and be part of Schengen, as symbol of deepened European integration,” Ciuca conveyed on a post on the Twitter page of the Government.

The European Commission asked the EU Council to make the necessary decision, without any further delay, to allow Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia to fully participate in the Schengen area.

In a Communication adopted on Wednesday, the European Commission „takes stock of the three Member States’ strong record of achievements in the application of the Schengen rules,” according to the EC release.

European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson told a news conference, in Brussels, that Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia are ready to join the Schengen Area, and the EU is ready to welcome them.

Agerpres