MEP Victor Negrescu was on a working visit to Madrid to discuss with Spanish officials the Spanish presidency of the EU Council in the second half of 2023 and the inclusion of Romania’s accession to the Schengen area among its official priorities, according to Agerpres.

„I discussed with several Spanish officials the inclusion of Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, given that Spain will hold the presidency of the EU Council in the second part of this year, during which it will organise at least two meetings of the Council of Justice and Internal Affairs. One among the most important discussions was with senior official responsible for European affairs and the future Spanish presidency of the EU Council Pascual Navarro Rios, and I received assurances that Spain pays increased attention to the subject,” Negrescu is quoted as saying in a press statement released on Thursday.

The MEP of the S&D group in the European Parliament, who is also vice-president of the Party of the European Socialists (PES) says that he is convinced that, if in the first months of the year „the representatives of Romania were more incisive and professional in their approach, there are prerequisites for a positive outcome under the Spanish presidency.”

„In our discussions, we relied on the fact that the European social-democratic family was the only one that unanimously supported Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, and together with the leadership of the Social Democratic Party we decided to continue the steps, even if the subject is not managed by our ministers, because this objective is central to our country,” said Negrescu, alluding to the fact that Austria and the Netherlands, both countries that blocked Romania’s and Bulgaria’s accession to the Schengen area, are led by governments that do not include members of his political family.

„Besides, the social-democratic prime minister, Pedro Sanchez, publicly supported Romania’s accession to the Schengen area, which confirms the good intentions of our Spanish partners,” the Social Democrat MEP believes.

Negrescu adds that the absence of the subject of Schengen area enlargement from the agenda of the future JHA council meeting may be a problem in terms of Romania’s priorities.

„Unfortunately, the fact that at the incoming Justice and Internal Affairs Council meeting on March 9-10 this subject is not included on the agenda raises many questions and may be a problem, since a new vote must be thoroughly prepared and it is up to Romania to create a new moment in which there is support for such a favourable decision,” he said.

„From the information I have, the Swedish presidency of the EU Council would plan a possible vote in June, but for that to happen we need more consistency and a clearer diplomatic action on the part of Romania,” Victor Negrescu mentioned.

On his working visit to Madrid, Negrescu also had a series of meetings with Spanish political officials including First Deputy Chair of the Senate of Spain and chair of the Spanish Socialist Workers Party (PSOE) Cristina Narbona Ruiz, and PSOE secretary for international policies and development co-operation and Deputy Chair of the Socialist International Hana Jalloul Muro.

Agerpres