Deputy Prime Minister Kelemen Hunor, the national leader of the Hungarian Democratic Union of Romania (UDMR), says that the European Commission’s announcement regarding Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area confirms that the country has been meeting the technical criteria for accession for a long time, according to Agerpres.

„The European Commission confirms what we have been saying for a long time and what the experts have also confirmed, namely the fact that Romania, from a technical point of view, has been prepared and ready to join the Schengen Area for a very long time, has met the technical criteria. And as the accession to the Schengen Area is a very strictly regulated matter in the Schengen Agreement, the technical criteria must be met – we already knew that – and, lo and behold: it is confirmed that Romania can and must enter the Schengen Area. (…) On the other hand, the European Union also needs a success story and that, from a political point of view, is a very serious argument in this period and I think that for that matter Romania’s accession to the Schengen area is to be expected and it must be done on January 1, no ifs and buts,” Kelemen told Agerpres on Wednesday.

He voiced hope that the Netherlands will also understand why Romania’s accession to the Schengen Area is important, suggesting that Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte could use strategic abstention, a little-used device that would not block Romania’s accession.

„In the European Council, of course, we need a unanimous vote. We see the attempt by the Netherlands to look for partners and discuss with Sweden, as others have refused it. I hope that the Netherlands will also understand why Romania’s accession is important and why it must not be blocked. There is a device available to Prime Minister Rutte, if he wants to use in the council without blocking Romania’s accession: it is strategic abstention. It has been used very rarely and is used extremely rarely in the council, but there is also this possibility, this device available to a member state when it does not want to block something, but it has reservations. Then, it abstains, but it does not block and does not spoil the unanimity for such a decision. So, I still hope that, in the end the Netherlands will also agree that this step must be taken and it must be taken this year, without delay,” concluded the UDMR leader.

The European Commission has called upon the European Council to take the necessary decisions without any further delay to allow Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia to fully participate in the Schengen area

„Bulgaria, Romania, and Croatia are ready join, and I should say the European Union is ready to welcome,” European Commissioner for Home Affairs Ylva Johansson told a news conference in Brussels on Wednesday.

„Romania has high-quality and strong border management, including border surveillance and systematic border checks, and international police cooperation. Fight against irregular migration and trafficking in human beings are two priorities where Romania is active. The Schengen Information System is well established. Concerning the respect for fundamental rights, Romania has effective structures in place to guarantee access to international protection respecting the principle of non-refoulement,” the European Commission said in a press statement.

Agerpres