Ambassador of Romania in Washington, Andrei Muraru, declared on Tuesday that the authorities in Bucharest are working with the Department of Homeland Security and other U.S. law enforcement agencies to facilitate Romania’s re-entry into the Visa Waiver Program, noting that there is no guarantee that this will happen soon, despite important steps having been made since May this year, when Romania’s designation was rescinded.

„Obviously there is no guarantee that Romania will re-enter the program any soon, but we believe that we have a very good chance and a very good dialogue with the White House and the Department of State, because what Romania is proposing to the United States at this moment is the most extensive partnership regarding border protection and security cooperation of all the 42 Visa Waiver Program designated states, which means that Romania is far ahead others as regards the relevant standards,” Muraru said, as he attends in Bucharest the Annual Meeting of Romanian Diplomacy.

According to him, no American official has linked the cancellation of the December 6 presidential election last year with Romania’s exclusion from the Visa Waiver Program.

„There are various assessments and perceptions that may lead to this idea, but no American official, neither in the discussions we had behind closed doors, nor in the public space, has put these two events in connection – the cancellation of the December 6 election last year with Romania’s removal from the Visa Waiver Program,” emphasized the Romanian diplomat.

Muraru specified that, apart from the statement issued by the Department of Homeland Security in early May, there were no other explanations from the American side, not even related to illegal immigration, because traditionally Romania’s relevant figures are very low.

On May 2, President Donald Trump’s administration announced that it was revoking Romania’s admittance to the Visa Waiver Program that allows visa-free travel to the United States.

AGERPRES